Billings Family Awaits Justice for Parents
Florida Couple's Killers Will "Get What's Coming to Them," Daughter Says
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Play CBS Video Video Daughter of Slain Couple Speaks Ashley Markham, eldest daughter of the slain Florida couple speaks to Maggie Rodriguez about how her siblings are coping and how special her parents were.
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Video Fla. Police Zero In on Suspect Arrests in the Billings murder to continue as the search goes on for another suspect, reports Terrell Brown. Sheriff David Morgan of the Escambia County police department talks to Maggie Rodriguez.
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Byrd and Melanie Billings of Beulah were found shot dead in their home Thursday evening. Eight of their 16 children were at home at the time. (Pensacola News Journal)
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Ashley Markham, lower right, offers support to her Aunt Julie Tittle, thrid left, as, from left to light, lawyer Chrystal Collins-Spencer, uncle Ed Brock, Rick Tittle, and Blue Markham attend during a news conference in Pensacola, Fla. on July 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Mari Darr-Welch)
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"They'll get justice. I believe justice will be served, and they will get what's coming to them," Ashley Markham told CBS' "The Early Show" Wednesday.
Seven suspects are already in custody for the killings and police are closing in on an eighth, reports CBS News correspondent Terrell Brown.
The wealthy Florida couple had 13 adopted children, many of them with special needs. Nine children were home at the time of the fatal attack, though none were hurt.
Markham, one of four adult children from previous marriages, said the Billings "had one mission in life. And that was to give these children joy and happiness. To provide them with lives that they have otherwise would not have known. And we planned to try to continue that. They loved their children. That was what their world revolved around."
Not all of the children have been told the details of what happened to their parents.
"We're trying to keep [the children] sheltered as much as possible until we can get them all sat down and explain to them in detail what is going on," Markham told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez.
Markham praised police efforts to round up the suspects, but acknowledged that there was still a "long road" ahead in search of justice.
"But I have faith [the authorities will] be with us and find the answers for us."
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From The Early Show
- Here we have two wonderful and caring people who were making a difference in the world, and these low-lives came and took them away. What is this world coming too? I hope these low-lives get what's coming to them and them some. In fact the death penalty is too good for them.
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- bonjour
mélanie et byrd reposez en paix, quelle tristesse ... pauvres enfants
c'est d'une cruauté incroyable les priver de leur parents adoptifs, alors qu'ils ont tellemet besoin d'eux étant handicapés, j'espére que les mis en cause auront le chatiment qu'ils méritent..au revoir - Reply to this comment
- These criminals have bought a front-seat ticket on the hell express. Killing people to steal their money is bad enough, but the life-long ramifications for all these children make this crime especially egregious. My prayers to all the family.
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- I agree, killing these scum-bags would be too easy. They need to feel REAL pain before they die.
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- A group of cowards. Why did they have to kill them innocent people. The death penalty is to good for them. They need to suffer in jail for the rest of their life but they did the crime in Florida so they will definitly get the death sentence.
- Reply to this comment
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