Motive probed in slaying of Fla. pair with 16 kids

Criminal Law

Investigators are looking at business ties among other leads for a motive in the slaying of a wealthy Florida couple known for adopting children with developmental disabilities, authorities said Monday.

But there may be multiple motives and more arrests are possible after three men were jailed Sunday, two of them on murder charges in the shooting deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings at their sprawling home near Pensacola, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said.

"It began as what we thought was a home invasion. At this point because of the complexity and the ties this family had through the business community, we're moving many other directions. Could be money, could be a whole host of things," Morgan said on the NBC "Today" show.

Morgan also cited the family's business ties in an interview on the CBS "Early Show" but declined to be more specific and said investigators are working on "multiple motives."

Three men have been arrested in connection with the slaying and were expected to have court appearances as early as Monday. Court officials Monday morning could not immediately confirm dates or times.

Related listings

  • 1 of 3 escaped inmates from Ind. prison caught

    1 of 3 escaped inmates from Ind. prison caught

    Criminal Law 07/13/2009

    One of three inmates who escaped from the Indiana State Prison was caught Monday in a southwestern Michigan town by a security guard for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.A Grand Beach police officer got a call before 7 a.m. that a private security guard f...

  • Mass. man charged with murder in son's beating

    Mass. man charged with murder in son's beating

    Criminal Law 07/02/2009

    A man accused of beating his 7-year-old son to death of Father's Day was charged Tuesday with murder and was ordered held without bail. Leslie Schuler, 36, is accused of repeatedly beating Nathaniel Turner, culminating in a brutal assault on June 21,...

  • Cornell student charged in wife's slaying in NY

    Cornell student charged in wife's slaying in NY

    Criminal Law 06/29/2009

    A Cornell University graduate student charged with murdering his wife is being held without bail in an upstate New York jail. Blazej (BLAH'-zay) Kot appeared in Tompkins County Court on Wednesday but didn't enter a plea. Defense attorney Joseph Joch ...

New Rochelle, New York Personal Injury Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP, in New Rochelle, New York, immediately. We can answer all your questions and work with you to determine if you have the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. The attorneys at our firm are determined to resolve even the most difficult of cases. We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to get your claim or case resolved in the most efficient way possible. We will fight for your right to compensation! No one should have to suffer a financial burden from the result of another person’s carelessness. The attorneys at Kommer, Bave & Ollman, LLP will aggressively fight to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read