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July 10, 2009 5:30 PM

Parents of Sixteen Slain

Posted by Miranda Neubauer
(Pensacola News Journal )
BEULAH, Fla. (CBS/AP) A couple with hearts big enough to raise 16 children, 12 of them adopted, were murdered in their bedroom Thursday night while eight of their children slept.

Authorities in Florida are seeking three men and a large, red, 1970s or early 1980s model van caught on the murdered couple's home video surveillance system.

Police say Byrd and Melanie Billings died during an invasion of their Florida home, just west of Pensacola. None of their children were hurt, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

According to the paper, Yvonne Hahn, a school bus driver who has known the Billing's chidren for two decades, spoke with three of the children as they were leaving with a relative.

“They seemed alright, but they were upset,” Hahn said. “Matthew said that his mom and daddy got shot and killed, and they didn’t have a mom and daddy now,” Hahn said. “I said, ‘Yeah, they did honey, but they’ll always be your mommy and daddy,” Hahn told them.

“Katie just kept hugging me. She has Down syndrome, and she can’t talk, but she just kept hugging me,” Hahn said.

The Billings owned several businesses and were known for their generosity in adopting children with disabilities and from troubled backgrounds.

Read More at the Pensacola News Journal
Tags:
Home Invasion ,
Byrd Billings ,
Melanie Billings ,
Beulah ,
Florida
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Add a Comment See all 34 Comments
by true_or_not July 17, 2009 6:12 PM EDT
This is terible no matter what the past or future is for this couple. There are several things that may look bad but they are still good people. There are also things that seem to be good and are a lye. Some people adopt to collect extra money and simpathy. I don't believe this is true in this case, but something has made this couple a target for a reason. May God be with the children and may the persons responsible for this unthinkable crime pay and with terible nightmares till their death.
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by HemiHead66 July 15, 2009 4:16 PM EDT
Boy, these knuckle-Heads sure picked a good state to do their dirty-work in. It won't be long before they're smelling like crisp bacon. One thing about Florida, they don't screw around when it comes to putting death-row inmates lights out.
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by carolcape July 12, 2009 11:05 PM EDT
What drew them to invade this home. Was it a large and wealthy looking residence??What would be the motive and what was stolen. This certainly does cry for the death penalty.Everytime I hear the news, it gets worse everyday. I will pray that they are found quickly and that justice is swifter. DEATH PENALTY FOR THIS CRIME. THIS SHOULD BE PLASTERED ON THE NEWS EVERYDAY UNTIL THEY ARE CAUGHT AND THE VIDEO OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE ON THE NEWS ALSO.
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by sdxvegas July 11, 2009 3:01 PM EDT
Let's hope the killers are found and resist just enough to justify lethal force. No need to waste public funds on scum like this.
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by straightmate July 11, 2009 12:48 PM EDT
Yeah I'm with Steve, where are the suspects pictures?
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by hamiltongrad July 11, 2009 2:45 PM EDT
Why is this a concern ??
by sdxvegas July 11, 2009 3:03 PM EDT
Hamiltongrad,
Ever heard of America's Most Wanted? Pictures of these scumbags published would add millions of people on the watch to catch them. Concern enough for ya?
by SumpfinAwful July 11, 2009 11:47 AM EDT
I read in the Pensacola paper that these two were shot in their bedroom. That doesn't sound much like a home invasion. Why would the invaders bother to search out sleeping homeowners to kill them if they were only interested in stealing stuff? And how did they know where the bedroom was in that massive house if they were strangers to it? If these reports are true, and it must be acknowledged that we don't really know all that facts at this point, I have a feeling there's more to this story than is being disclosed.
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by TryTakingMyMoney July 11, 2009 11:03 AM EDT
My condolences to all those involved. Folks, in this day and age you should keep a gun with flashlight by your bedside at all times. Do not listen to brain washed liberals that believe you can talk these thugs out of killing you. Unfortunately, force with force is the only way. Train yourself and be prepared!
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by winchester70 July 11, 2009 9:34 AM EDT
educatedguy, a liberal arts professional, makes errors a dirt farmer wouldn't make.
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by graysi July 11, 2009 5:59 AM EDT
This story doesn't make any sense. The only reasons for home invasion robberies are: 1) money, 2) guns, 3) drugs, 4) jewelry or coins (which are like money).

Typical home invasion robbers either leave everyone alive or they kill everyone. Why would they leave 8 witnesses alive?

This whole story doesn't make sense at all. I suspect one of their kids either orchestrated it or paid for it to happen. If it wasn't one of the kids, it will end up being someone else who has a connection to them. THIS IS NOT A RANDOM MURDER!

The other weird thing about this whole event is that the family had a lot of security cameras aimed all over the place... Why? I find the high security situation strange unless they were doing something illegal.
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by longtime2123 July 11, 2009 9:39 AM EDT
Some of what you say has merit, ie about an older child coming back. However, the cameras are not a "weird thing". I have cameras around my home exterior that are recorded because I travel in work and like to know what is going on, and security for my family. High security does NOT mean something illegal going on. Too much of a jump.
by cs4466 July 11, 2009 3:02 AM EDT
Tragic. This couple is near sainthood in my book. Whereas having anything over four or five kids on your own is quite vulgar, these good people decided to ADOPT, which is QUITE respectable and says a lot about their good character. I hope they catch the people who did this to them and show them the meaning of justice.
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