HeavyRunner, 20, was last seen on the Blackfeet Reservation in 2017. After seeing the nationally publicized case, Pensacola native, Jimmie Lee Staley started looking into the case and found some questionable details that had been left out. He had participated and been sentenced to probation for an adoption scam with one of his wives: He and Cindy Reeve had pleaded, Update: Police Release Dead Serial Killers Account of Murder of Samantha Koenig. PENSACOLA, Fla. (CBS/AP) The ringleader who led a group of armed men dressed as ninjas in the robbery and murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, a Florida couple known for adopting children with. You can stream episodes here. His tenure was brief with the sheriffs office just eight months and his first major case was Selena Not Afraids disappearance. Jake was mute and could only help the police by using sign language; however, he later proved instrumental in solving the crime. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Wiggins was charged with being accessory after the fact. Locating the red van was top priority, so law enforcement reached out to the public through the media, according to Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. Before July 2009, Melanie and Bud were bestknown in Pensacola, Florida, as a generous, good-hearted couple who opened their home to children with severe disabilities. . He had participated and been sentenced to probation for an adoption scam with one of his wives: He and Cindy Reeve had pleaded nolo contendre, accepting punishment without admitting guilt. One of the rooms that wasn't covered by camera - the master bedroom. Shacaiah Blue Harding, who was last seen in the Billings area in 2018 and is assumed to be a victim of sex trafficking, is also featured. He writes about lifestyle, self-motivation, fitness, and leadership. The series, "Murder in Big Horn," debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will be available for streaming on Showtime Feb. 3, broken into three hour-long episodes. The series will premiere at Sundance, the largest independent film festival in the U.S., on Jan. 22. One of the most important parts is the supplements they take. The killers were all dressed in black in a manner described as ninja-like by the local sheriff, a characteristic which helped give the gang the name The Karate Killers. The cops only witnessone that never lies: surveillance cameras. The others charged were Wayne Coldiron, Patrick Gonzalez, Donnie Ray Stallworth, Gary Sumner, Rakeem Florence, Frederick Lee Thornton Jr., and Pamela Wiggins. Was. Citizen P.I. Florida investigators tracked Wiggins down to Orange Beach, Alabama. Five people jumped out, Det. Byrd and Melanie Billings lived in Beulah, Florida, in a sprawling mansion with several children they had adopted. Patrick Gonzalez was allowed to leave. The Billings used them to monitor their children. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Authorities said the crime was carried out with military precision, abcnews.go.com reported. A nation is not defeated until the heart of its women are on the ground, Simpson said in the series, sharing a Cheyenne proverb. There were nine children living at the house who were special needs kids. Also, some witnesses who pointed to Patrick as the gunman had claimed they had seen his face when the surveillance video showed that the gunmen had their masks on the whole time. They carried rifles and wore masks, dressed in black clothes and black boots. Tice adds a new link between the Billings couple and Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., 35, who is charged in the murders and was called "pivotal person" by Morgan during the investigation. July 17, 2009. Netflix launched its marketing campaign for this seven-part documentary series as if 'The Keepers' was your typical true crime murder mystery - but all was not as it seemed. On the evening of July 9, 2009, a brash break-in at the Billings residence led to a horrific conclusion. Examining the footage, it was clear that multiple suspects were involved in the burglary and it was exceptionally well planned. Florence and Thornton ultimately agreed to testify against their co-conspirators, and Leonard Gonzalez was soon identified as the ringleader and the main gunman. : Emails From Death Row chronicles the complex case that had multiple people involved in the burglary plan, with everyone eventually facing justice. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. Interviews are stitched together with footage pulled from the social media accounts of the young women, along with clips from media reports. Pic credit: FL Dept. Melanie was also on the floor, face-up, and was shot in the head and chest. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Bud Billings, 66, and his wife, Melanie, 43, were found shot to death on July 9, 2009. Here is the synopsis: Mansion Murder Cam In Pensacola Florida, two loving parents are brutally gunned down in their own home. The alleged victims of the highflying, some would say sociopathic politician with a list of victims that spans the long career of him and Hillary his 'wife' If you, or someone you know, has relevant information. This story is printed with the permission of the Montana Free Press. At some point in the third hour, it needed to transcend being a true-crime documentary, Galkin said. She was 16. In Pensacola Florida, two loving parents are brutally gunned down in their own home. Specifically, Murder in Big Horn follows the cases of Selena Not Afraid, 16, who was found dead in Big Horn County, Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, 18, who was found dead in Hardin, Henny Scott, 14, who was found dead near Lame Deer, and Shacaiah Harding, 19, who was last seen in Billings in 2018. The Karate Killers on ID is investigating the truly shocking murders of husband and wife, Byrd "Bud" and Melanie Billings, who were butchered during a brutal home invasion at their home in Pensacola, Florida. "We found that a. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In October 2010, Leonard Jr, then 35, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion. But eventually, heagreed to tell police everything he knew about the crime including who was in the van, provided prosecutors took a possible death penalty off the table, according to Floribama Murders.. And why did the name Cab Tice keep coming up in the interviews police conducted to understand the connections between the suspects and the Billings family? American Prairie distributed 10 bison to the Chippewa Cree Tribe on the Rocky Boy Reservation and 35 to the Kalispel Tribe in Washington. Detectives questioned the Billings children, and Justin provided a possible lead. She submitted a piece of art to theCreative Nativecompetition. They were scared to death, investigators said. But after uncovering many questionable details, independent investigation blog Conjuring Justice is making a compelling case that proves that the perpetrators of the crime are still at large. Yet the platform appealed to Benally as a way to bring the stories to a larger audience. John Joseph Caylon III, 28, pleaded. Survivors reflect on the shocking boat crash that killed vibrant teenager Mallory Beach - and the demons that haunted troubled driver Paul Murdaugh. We are filmmakers, and we can only do so much.. The crime scene photos . We are given a chance to present this information and these stories in however way we want to present them, Benally said. The getaway drivers were believed to be waiting in the car. The concept of a killer is terrifying enough, as it is hard for most people. In Pensacola Florida, two loving parents are brutally gunned down in their own home. The individuals behind the crime took the wrong one, according to investigators. Bear Dont Walk remembers watching, listening and drawing . He was with three other men identified as Wayne Coldiron, Donnie Stallworth, and Gary Sumner, names that Leonard Gonzalez had revealed to authorities. Investigators tracked down Leonard Gonzalez and brought him in for questioning. It provides a crash course in the scandals and deaths that have engulfed the old-money Murdaugh family for years, including a fatal boating accident, the mysterious deaths of a family housekeeper. After Bud and Melinda Billings were murdered, investigators discovered multiple people were connected to the crime. By the spring of 1989, the remains of nine victims had been discovered along the highways surrounding the city. When police searched the van, they found nothing that tied it to the murders. These are not true-crime stories to us. It turned out that there was more to the Billings family than the all-American history that their prior media image implied. All three girls profiled in the film went missing after attending house parties and were found dead nearby. Byrd Billings, 66, was shot multiple times in the head and legs. Authorities also learned that he had a power-washing business and had worked at the Billings home before. Anthony Aiello of San Jose, California, was 90 years old when the police of Santa Clara County arrested him for the suspected murder of his 67-year-old stepdaughter Karen Navarra. And yet, in 2009, the Billings lived like the wealthywith an elaborately equipped nine-bedroom house worth $700,000but no one could figure out how a modest car dealership would generate enough income to cover all their expenses, which included so much help for the children. What the footage does show is so clear in uncovering exactly what happened. Follow the links to read about more shocking crimes profiled on ID. From a young age, I was taught to never go anywhere alone, Benally said. The next, they were innocent victims of a methodical murder plot. "They did wonderful things.". He was. Officers responded to a car crash shortly before midnight and discovered the driver had. Nora Mabie is the Indigenous Communities reporter for Lee Montana. Home. The death of 16-year-old Selena Not Afraid has been ruled accidental. The murders of Bud and Melanie Billings occurred on or about July 9, 2009, in Pensacola, Florida, United States. An event on the University of Montana campus honors the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. With Michael Beach, Janine Turner, Dean Cain, Nick Searcy. Theyd both been shot multiple times. Both filmmakers were united in their approach to immersive storytelling and narrative film. The series does, however, give potentially global visibility to the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people while placing it within a historical context. Meanwhile. On the day of the murders, Leonard and Patrick Gonzalez, along with Florence, Sumner, and Thornton, pulled up to the Billings house in a red minivan and broke in. Detectives focused on the crime scene videos and observed the black boots worn by the home invaders. There are factors that led to that., Our girls dont just die, added Lucy Simpson, executive director for the National Indigenous Womens Resource Center, based in Lame Deer. How do you give back to a community and support communities beyond collecting their stories? MacDonald asked. Patrick Gonzalez was then questioned and denied everything. This is the most dangerous place for Native women in the country, explained Luella Brien in the series opening. The Associated Press cited divorce records from his second wife in 1993 that revealed Billings had not been rich at that time: his total net worth at that time was just $1400. Learn How Brandon Dawson Sold His Business for $151M at 77X EBITDA and Break Through Your Business Plateau, Too! The young women are remembered through the recollections of family members and friends, who detail their shared barriers to justice and the lack of response from law enforcement officials. The individuals behind the crime took the wrong one, according to investigators. Read More: How Did Megan Leann Holden Die? Mrs. Gonzalez allowed detectives to take the shoe box and to tow the van. Authorities moved right away to find the six people connected to the murderer, including five people who . Others have speculated that the murders may have been a hit. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. Credit:Showtime. The first-ever documentary film series about one of America's most infamous unsolved serial murder cases. This is emotion-driven. of Corrections. On July 9, 2009 in Pensacola, Florida, a group of masked men entered Byrd and Melanies vast home at dusk and murdered the couple in what was thought to be a robbery case. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Brien was one of the filmmakers first sources, and she quickly became central to the documentary. Brien walks the viewer through the complexities of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies that respond to crimes on reservations and the jurisdictional issues and systematic failures that can happen during those investigations. So, the news of their murders as part of a burglary shocked everyone. . Billings murder documentary on Investigation Discovery channel tonight @ 9 pm Rick Outzen March 17, 2015 The Investigation Discovery series "See No Evil" covers the July 9, 2009 murders of Bud and Melanie Billings. We found that a series would allow us to go in-depth, as opposed to a singular film, said director Razelle Benally. Murder in Big Horn is directed by Razelle Benally, Oglala Lakota/Din, and Matthew Galkin and produced by the MacDonald siblings and Benally. Working in Big Horn County, I dont believe MMIW is real, he added. The investigators were aided by the numerous surveillance cameras that were dotted throughout the Billings home. Coming Soon. He was known to keep cash stashed away in a home safe located upstairs. Ivan and Ivy MacDonald are sibling Blackfeet filmmakers. Murder in Big Horn, a three-part documentary set on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations, will premiere at the internationally acclaimed Sundance Film Festival. At UM, Bird will work with tribal communities as well as prospective and current Native students to increase retention and provide support. 3,945 views Jul 19, 2009 Such a senseless murder that has left a community in mourning. Historic low temps are possible on Thursday. This is the story of the victims, their families, the investigation,and nearly three decades of unanswered questions. Shes a journalist based in Hardin who grew up on the Crow Reservation and is the central narrator in the production. An investigation revealed that a safe was missing from the house. He had taken a loan from Byrd to set up a martial arts studio. Benally led many of the conversations with Native families. He was known to keep cash stashed away in a home safe located upstairs. One of the vehicles used in the burglary was later traced to Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Sr. Authorities concluded she died of exposure. We put this team together so we wouldnt be performing parachute journalism or extractive storytelling, Galkin said. Since colonization, our Native women have been targeted. top of page. The MacDonalds cousin, Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, is one of thousands of missing or murdered Indigenous women, a crisis so prevalent it has its own acronym, MMIW. By the spring of 1989, the remains of nine victims had been discovered along the highways surrounding the city. She gives context and a voice to the generational traumas experienced in Native communities. suspected murder of his 67-year-old stepdaughter Karen Navarra, single serial killer known as the Chicago Strangler. Ayasha Momberg, 6, holds a photo of her cousin Ashley Heavyrunner Loring, 20, who disappeared from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in north-central Montana in the summer of 2017. Now, their tragic deaths haunt the community and the children they left behind. Accused triggerman Patrick Gonzalez, meanwhile, took his chances in court. Frederick and Rakeem took plea deals and agreed to testify against Leonard Jr. At Leonard Jrs trial in late 2010, the prosecution stated that he was the mastermind behind the plan. All were charged with first-degree murder apart from Wiggins, who was charged with being an accessory. Though he and Melanie had been married 18 years, Byrd "Bud" Billings had been married two times before. Cohen Anayas self portrait will be on display as part of Transilience, featuring artwork from transgender, nonbinary and two-spirit artists from in and around Montana. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Detectives questioned the Billings children, and Justinprovided a possible lead. See production, box office & company info, Self - Neighbor of Byrd and Melanie Billings, Self - Daughter of Byrd and Melanie Billings. To be able to meet the manifest destiny of the American dream, they needed to rid the lands of the first people who were living there. We had to really balance the series, so when Native families or people watch this, they are not feeling like they are being exploited.. Two of the women were never found. As police began looking at the Billings family history, they began to wonder if they were looking at a contract killing. You can cancel at any time. Telling the communitys stories is important, Brien said. None of them were harmed in the incident. By Chuck Baldwin. All of them except Patrick Gonzalez agreed to plea deals, resulting in life sentences for Stallworth and Coldiron and lengthy prison terms for the others, according to Floribama Murders.. When Chelysa Owens-Cyr got the call, she was stunned. The Billings couple had many fostered children, who were all within the home along with some employees and house staff on the day of the murder. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. A movie about the crimes and trial of Kermit Gosnell, an American doctor and abortion provider who was convicted of killing three fetuses and the involuntary manslaughter of a woman who died during a procedure. He was first shot in the leg, later being taken into the bedroom with Melanie and one of their children. He said that Cab Tice, whod had business dealings with Bud, had double-crossed his father. Benally joined the project after being contacted by fellow director Matthew Galkin, who admittedly came to the project with no awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. However, these allegations have not been proved. Authorities moved right away to find the six people connected to the murderer, including five people who entered the home and one who drove the getaway car. In the aftermath of Mallory's death, Alex Murdaugh's damage control raises alarm. He was sentenced to death and is currently on death row. Now, not only are people learning about Indigenous people, but Indigenous people are behind the camera telling these stories.. A New Option for Performance and Recovery: CannaTape Sport Kinesiology Tape Uses CBD to Improve Every Wrap. On July 9, 2009 in Pensacola, Florida, a group of masked men entered Byrd and Melanie's vast home at dusk and murdered the couple in what was thought to be a robbery case. The MacDonald siblings have been working on documentary storytelling in the Indigenous community for years and are currently producing a documentary, When They Were Here, centered on families whose loved ones went missing or were found dead in the Blackfeet community in northwestern Montana. RELATED:Man's Secret Identity Exposed After He Viciously Attacked Alabama Mom. Women holding esteemed places in Indian nations, violence against Native women started very early.. Benally as a way to bring the stories to a car crash shortly before midnight and the... A young age, I was taught to never go anywhere alone, said. Place for Native women have been targeted plan, with everyone eventually facing justice serial cases. Police by using sign language ; however, he later proved instrumental in solving the crime scene and... And brought him in for questioning had taken a loan from byrd to set up martial! 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