Cops: Fla. Couple Possible Targets of Contract Hit

Aug. 3, 2009 — -- At least one source told police that wealthy Florida couple Byrd and Melanie Billings were the targets of a contract killing before their brutal murder July 9, investigators told ABCNews.com today.

"Early on in this investigation we had an uncorroborated statement from this individual that it could have been a contract killing," said Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. "We have pursued and continue to pursue [this possibility]."

Morgan declined to clarify the individual's relationship to the case, other than to say that the statement was made to police "during the course of the investigation" and would not say if corroborating evidence to support the statement had been found. The Billings were well known for having adopted and cared for 13 special needs children.

Morgan's comments came after CNN reported Friday that an unnamed source told CNN that at least one of the suspects, alleged ringleader Leonard Gonzalez Jr., knew the robbery was also an assassination.

In a press conference Friday night, Morgan told reporters that "this investigation will go where it goes."

While police continue to investigate the possibility of a contract killing, the sheriff's office is working with the state attorney to build a case against the eight individuals already charged in connection with the crime, seven of whom are charged with the Billings' murder.

"Everybody is concerned that nothing be done to jeopardize the existing case," Morgan said.

Police have repeatedly said that robbery was the prime motive for the deadly crime that was executed with "military precision." A single safe was taken from the home during the robbery and was later revealed to hold only some jewelry, children's medication and family documents.

"The one motive that we know, and is prosecutable... is that it was a home invasion, a robbery and a murder occurred. Those things are very definitive. When you get in the realm of 'was there an additional motive?' Therein lies the conundrum," Morgan said.

Nine of the Billings' children were in the home when their parents were killed.