Billings Murder Drug Connection?
In describing initial observations about the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said, “It was a very well-planned and well-executed operation.”
The brutal murders were apparently witnessed by some of the Billings children.
Of those arrested so far, according to CBS News, Morgan called 35-year-old suspect Leonard Gonzalez, Jr. a “pivotal person” in organizing the crime, but stopped short of identifying him as the mastermind. He was charged Sunday with murder.
Gonzalez Jr. allegedly asked others for help , including Jimmy Seaton, 45, of Pensacola.
The Pensacola News Journal reported that, when questioned about Gonzalez, Jr., Seaton stated, “He was talking about, ‘Did I know anybody that I was in jail with that would be willing to help him out with a project.’ And I was like, ‘Not really,’ ” Seaton said.
“A few days later he approached me again about the fact that he had found somebody that had like 2 kilos of coke and that if I would get involved with driving them to these people’s house, he would take care of everything else.”
ABC News reports that law officials are looking into a possible link between the seven-man crew charged with killing the Billings and Mexican drug runners and the notoriously violent gang MS-13.
