Questions mount in Billings slayings

[Liberal_in_LA]

A motive for the shooting deaths of a Beulah couple remained unclear Friday, a day after they were gunned down during a home invasion.

"Home invasions can lead to murder. It can be anything from drugs to robbery. We would be speculating at this point," Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said.

The bodies of Byrd, 66, and Melanie Billings, 43, were found Thursday night after a neighbor called 911. Eight of the couple's children living in the house were unharmed.

"Both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds," Morgan said at a news conference held to release details about the killings.

Morgan said that about 7 p.m. Thursday night, three people arrived at the couple's Mobile Highway home in a late 1970s or early 1980s red van.

They forced their way into the house through separate doors and shot the couple, who reportedly were in their bedroom. Deputies were called to the scene about 45 minutes later, Morgan said.

The Billings' home had an extensive video surveillance system, which had cameras recording almost every room, as well as parts of the driveway and yard.

Video released Friday shows the van and the suspects, all dressed in black, approaching the victims' house. The Sheriff's Office released still footage of the van, but not of the suspects.

http://www.pnj.com/article/20090711/NEWS01/907110322/1006

[Selatius]

1. Perhaps it was a contract killing?

The home had extensive surveillance, with cameras in almost every room. It's a big home according to the photo. This family probably had a sizable amount of wealth. Maybe some bad money was in the mix, and somebody wanted to teach them a lesson? The kids weren't targeted, just the parents.