Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr. was a martial arts instructor and small-time business owner living in Pensacola, Florida. His background included financial struggles and a long trail of failed ventures. Public records show he dabbled in martial arts, claimed to run a dojo, and sometimes performed community outreach programs, though much of it appeared to be for image rather than service.

Despite the façade of discipline and order that martial arts projected, Gonzalez was deep in debt. He became known in Escambia County for erratic behavior, growing financial desperation, and associations with low-level criminals. According to law enforcement, Gonzalez orchestrated the 2009 home invasion in search of fast cash. He recruited a group of accomplices — some young and impressionable — convincing them they’d be stealing a safe filled with money and drugs from a wealthy couple.

Gonzalez was also reportedly influenced by his father, Leonard Gonzalez Sr., who participated in the crime as one of the getaway drivers. Gonzalez Jr. portrayed himself as a “mastermind” figure, coordinating outfits, escape routes, and communication methods. He styled the group in black clothing and masks, likened to "ninja garb," to avoid detection by security cameras.

On the evening of July 9, 2009, Byrd and Melanie Billings were at home in Beulah, just outside Pensacola, Florida. The couple, known for adopting numerous special needs children, were inside their large home — which was equipped with 16 surveillance cameras to monitor their children’s care.

Gonzalez Jr. led a crew of five masked intruders, who entered the home in a military-style raid. Surveillance footage later showed the men, dressed in black, moving swiftly and silently through the home. They encountered Byrd and Melanie Billings in their bedroom and fatally shot both of them. Though nine of their children were home during the break-in, none were harmed — investigators believed the intruders had specific orders not to hurt the children.

The killers stole a safe containing jewelry, medication, and documents — not the massive cash haul they had imagined. Gonzalez and his crew fled in two vehicles, with his father, Leonard Gonzalez Sr., and associate Gary Sumner acting as getaway drivers.

What Gonzalez didn’t anticipate was the sheer amount of evidence left behind. Surveillance footage, fingerprints, and confessions from co-conspirators unraveled the plan within days. Frederick Thornton and Rakeem Florence, both involved in the break-in, cooperated with law enforcement and testified that Gonzalez Jr. was the one who shot Byrd Billings.

In October 2010, Gonzalez stood trial and was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion robbery with a firearm. In February 2011, he was sentenced to death.

His death sentence was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court in 2014. Gonzalez Jr. remains on Florida’s death row today. Meanwhile, his co-conspirators received a mix of life sentences, plea deals, and long-term imprisonment, depending on their roles.

The Billings case shocked the nation — not just for its brutality, but because it targeted a family known for compassion. The trial revealed a chilling picture of manipulation, greed, and a man willing to kill to solve his financial woes.