Fla. Grand Jury Indicts 7 For Billings Family Murders

A grand jury in Escambia County Florida just indicted seven (7) suspects on charges of murdering Melanie and Byrd Billings, the husband and wife who adopted a host of special needs children into their family.

The seven indicted suspects (shown below), who were arrested last month, are:

• Gary L. Sumner, Jr. (30)
• Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. (35)
• Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr. (56)
• Donald R. Stallworth (28)
• Wayne Coldiron (41)
• Rahkeem Chavez Florence (17)
• Fredrick Lee Thornton (19)

Each was charged with two (2) counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Home Invasion Robbery under Florida law.

You can read the Billings family murder and robbery indictments here:

Circuit Judge Joel Boles ordered all of the Billings murder suspects held without bond.

They will be arraigned on Thursday morning, August 13, 2009.

Related Resources:

• Arrests in Murder of Fla. Couple Who Adopted Special Needs Kids, FindLaw (Jul. 15, 2009)
• State's Attorney's Office - Pensacola, Fla.
• William Eddins, Escambio County State Attorney
• Resources for Crime Victims and their Families