Jury shown surveillance before murders

PENSACOLA, Florida (WALA) - Opening arguments were delivered Tuesday morning in a Florida courtroom for the Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. murder trial. Authorities say Gonzalez was behind the brutal July 2009 murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings.

Prosecutors told the court that Gonzalez was after a safe inside the couple's Beulah home on the day of the murder.

State attorneys said when Byrd Billings told Gonzalez, "No!", Gonzalez killed him execution-style, then turned his attention to Melanie Billings.

"He demanded to know the combination to the safe. When she said she didn't know, he shot her in the face, and blew part of the back of her head off. And as she was falling backwards in the mouth of that hallway, he shot her three more times in the chest," said state attorney Bill Eddins

After Eddins' opening statement, the defense attorneys fought back.

"Thankfully, what we say up here in opening statements is not evidence. Because if that were the case, it would be up to the point where which attorney could just make the best opening statement and then you would make your decision," said defense attorney John Jay Gontarek.

Then witness testimony began.

The first person to testify was Ashley Markham. She is the oldest daughter to Byrd and Melanie Billings.

On the day of the murder, she got a call from one of the Billings' children.

"I asked her what was happening and when she told me, I told her to run to April's house and get April," said Markham

Ashley is referring to April Spencer. She was a nurse for the Billings and lived next door.

On the day of the murder, one of the children went to her door asking for help.

Overwhelmed with tears, she told the court where she found Byrd Billings.

"In front of the dresser, in the bedroom," said Spencer.

The attorney then proceeded to ask Spencer where she found Mrs. Billings.

"She was in front of the closet," added Spencer.

Frederick Thornton, another of the seven suspects accused of the Billings' murders, also took the stand. Thornton testified of what happened on the days leading up to the murder.

He testified the group of men actually went to the Billings' home July 4, five days before the murders. However, as they drove up the driveway, lights came on. Thornton said they then turned around.

During Thornton's testimony, grainy surveillance video was shown to the jury. The footage showed the commando-style raid firsthand. It shows the suspects bursting through at least two doors, surrounding Byrd and Melanie.

Byrd falls to the floor, where Thornton then testified Gonzalez, Jr. shot him in the leg twice. Thornton said Gonzalez, Jr. demanded money from Byrd before shooting him.

Then Byrd and Gonzalez, Jr. disappear from the video, heading to the master bedroom where one safe was kept. The bedroom is where Byrd was shot twice in the chest and once in the head.

Thornton said Gonzalez, Jr. then turned to Melanie. He testified Gonzalez, Jr. told Melanie to open the safe. When she told him she did not know the combination, Thornton said Gonzalez, Jr. shot her as well.

Perhaps the most bone-chilling portion of the surveillance video is the ghost-like images of some of the children in the home. During the murders, nine of the couple's special needs children were there, walking amongst the suspects.

In another piece of surveillance video entered into evidence, the red getaway van can bee seen from one of the children's bedroom windows.

Leonard Gonzalez, Sr., Leonard Gonzalez, Jr., Wayne Coldiron, Donnie Stallworth, Frederick Thornton, Gary Sumner, and Rakeem Florence are all charged with the Billings' murders.

Thornton and Florence have both pleaded guilty to second degree murder, and will not face the death penalty if convicted. Florence was 16-years-old at the time of the murders.

Pamela Long Wiggins has been charged as an accessory after the fact, a felony. Authorities say she buried guns and the safe in her backyard.