She and her husband had brought their yacht there for repairs, but police suspected she may have been trying to flee to Mexico. You have permission to edit this article. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! It turned out that there was more to the Billings family than the all-American history that their prior media image implied. Melanie was also on the floor, face-up, and was shot in the head and chest. In a moment of intense poignancy during the documentary, Brien brings her daughter, Aurelia, to the county fairgrounds, where decades earlier Briens aunt had been found dead. The Big Horn County Sheriffs Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the FBI all declined to participate in the series. Television is one of the ways in which non-Indigenous communities learn about Indigenous communities, he said. He was known to keep cash stashed away in a home safe located upstairs. The group had also gotten together to train before the crime for a few weeks. Shot over 15 years, it is the real story of Wisconsin-based Steven Avery, who was wrongly accused of the sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen and had to serve 18 years in prison since his arrest in 1985. There were eight people in total who faced charges related to this case, but only five of the number entered the Billings home, and the ringleader was later determined to be Leonard Gonzalez. He was sentenced to death and is currently on death row. . The tapes showed a large red passenger van had pulled into the driveway at the time of the slayings. Two of the women were never found. 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. But she never expected , Last year, scholarships were up to $10,000 for returning undergraduate applicants, up to $12,500 for graduate and professional students and up. The safe was found on the property of Pamela Long-Wiggins, who was Leonard Jrs landlord. Examining the footage, it was clear that multiple suspects were involved in the burglary and it was exceptionally well planned. Missoula Commissioner announces involvement in project that got county approval, Next chapter for Sleepy Inn motel begins this week, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Attorneys offer more claims to Title IX suit against UM, MCPS school board selects 1 applicant for superintendent interview, Kalispell man charged for death threats to US Sen. 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Scenes are filmed in Billings, Hardin, Lame Deer and Crow Agency. Murders at Moselle. Three days after the murder, a man was arrested after leads noted that his van matched the description of the getaway vehicle in the Billings murder. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, After escaping 'religious cult', Montana woman faces new challenges with honeyberry farm, 'Buffalo take care of us': First Blackfeet buffalo hunt open to all was a success, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Business Buzz: New coffee shop, bakery opens in Missoula, 'A hearty animal': Yaks roam 1,000-acre ranch outside of Kalispell, Name of man killed during Clinton Market incident released, Homeless Missoulians get creative to survive extreme cold. That DNA doesnt match anyone arrested. That is something we are trying to be aware of.. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. While DNA tests conducted on the murder weapon and the shell casings didnt conclusively match Leonard Jr, Frederick identified him as the shooter. Weeks later, police were still trying to complete their understanding of the genesis of the scheme and connection of the suspects to the Billings family. Both of them had two biological children, each from their previous relationships but adopted 12 children, most of them with special needs. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In fact, all eight that were involved in the robbery/murder were tried and convicted, so why am I looking further into this case? He initially said the van belonged to his son, Patrick, and hadnt been running for a while. Directors Ian Clark Ben Mole After the nightclub incident, Byrd moved heavily into the buy-here, pay-here car lot business, which he would later leave under the management of his stepdaughter, Ashley, and her husband, James Blue Markham. The first-ever documentary film series about one of America's most infamous unsolved serial murder cases. He remains incarcerated at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, but owing to some legal matters, his apparent resentencing is pending. I think the series does a really good job of explaining all the components that come together that have created this situation.. Soon, others involved were arrested as well: Donnie Stallworth, Wayne Coldiron, Frederick Thornton, Rakeem Florence, and Gary Sumner. 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Thornton told detectives essentially the same story. 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. - YouTube 0:00 / 9:22 Why Were the Billings Couple Murdered? Through interviews with law enforcement, state medical examiners, tribal leaders and victims families, the documentary tells the story of several missing or murdered Indigenous women in Montana. suspected murder of his 67-year-old stepdaughter Karen Navarra, single serial killer known as the Chicago Strangler. The caller reported that a married couple had been shot in their home and that their children were still in the house. Learn How Brandon Dawson Sold His Business for $151M at 77X EBITDA and Break Through Your Business Plateau, Too! Murder In Big Horn, which focuses on the murders of three Indigenous women in Montana, will be available on Showtime starting Feb. 3. , the couples oldest children, Ashley and Justin, who were from previous marriages, rushed to the home. Anyone that is older than myself, I have to sit and listen., Benally said she was adamant the production be made in an appropriate and ethical way. Theyd both been shot multiple times. He was sentenced to death for the first two counts and life in prison for the invasion. When you are Native and you grow up in a community, you just know how to talk to folks, especially elders and older women, Benally said. 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. The films range from dramatic narratives and documentaries to experimental works, horror and comedy. This case hits home with me, because they lived in my hometown of Pensacola. The gang stole a safe and a briefcase from the home leading to prosecutors declaring the motive as greed. According to autopsy reports, Melanie Billings, 43, was shot twice in her chest, and in the face and head. Since colonization, our Native women have been targeted. Nora Mabie is the Indigenous Communities reporter for Lee Montana. They carried rifles and wore masks, dressed in black clothes and black boots. Aiello was the oldest man suspect ever held in the county, but he died before he could stand trial for murder. 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. 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. HeavyRunner, 20, was last seen on the Blackfeet Reservation in 2017. Native Americans comprise 6.7% of the states population, yet they account for, on average, 26% of Montanas missing persons population. M. Authorities also learned that he had a power-washing business and had worked at the Billings home before. Patrick Gonzalez was then questioned and denied everything. The Mansion Murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings BY Tricia Romano Tweet Follow @crimelibrary Share Comments A Connection to the Family Get information about the Billings children's special needs trust. : Emails From Death Row chronicles the complex case that had multiple people involved in the burglary plan, with everyone eventually facing justice. As they asked her some questions inside the house, they observed a shoe box for black combat boots. 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. 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