Frederick Thornton was a young man from Florida with limited public background before his involvement in the high-profile Pensacola double homicide. He was recruited into the criminal plot orchestrated by Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., and aligned himself with a group of men planning what they believed to be a swift home robbery targeting cash and valuables.

There is little published about Thornton's personal history, education, or employment before the murders. However, like some of the other young men involved, he may have been drawn into the crime through associations in lower-income or unstable social circles. Thornton was not the mastermind of the operation, but his role was crucial: he was one of the five men who physically entered the Billings home on the night of the murders.

Following his arrest, Thornton cooperated with investigators and prosecutors, offering detailed testimony about what occurred during the robbery and who was responsible for the killings. His willingness to testify against the ringleaders, including Gonzalez Jr., played a key role in their prosecution.

On the night of July 9, 2009, Frederick Thornton joined four other men, all dressed in black tactical gear, as they stormed the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings. Their mission was to break in, steal valuables from the safe, and escape quickly. What followed, however, was a brutal and well-planned ambush that resulted in the execution-style murders of both homeowners—all while nine of their special-needs children were inside the house.

The Billings residence was known for its security, including 16 surveillance cameras. These cameras captured parts of the attack, and investigators later used this footage to identify and build the case against the suspects. Thornton, caught on camera and linked to physical evidence, was quickly arrested and decided to cooperate in exchange for leniency.

His testimony revealed key details, including identifying Leonard Gonzalez Jr. as the shooter, and helped confirm the roles of the other suspects, including Donnie Stallworth and Wayne Coldiron. Thornton admitted he had entered the house, knew weapons were involved, and fully participated in the robbery. He also confirmed that the safe stolen from the Billings’ home contained jewelry, documents, and medications—not the large cash payoff they had hoped for.

As part of his plea deal, Thornton avoided the death penalty and was spared a first-degree murder charge. Instead, he was sentenced to two concurrent 40-year sentences for two counts of second-degree murder, and one concurrent 22-year sentence for home invasion robbery with a firearm.

His total time to serve is 22 years in prison, followed by 18 years of probation. This sentence reflects both the gravity of the crime and the legal benefit of cooperating with the state.