Ivan and Ivy MacDonald are sibling Blackfeet filmmakers. On the day of the murders, Leonard and Patrick Gonzalez, along with Florence, Sumner, and Thornton, pulled up to the Billings house in a red minivan and broke in. Its an incredibly sad thing to share. Two years later, he is at the center of another horrifying event. The series will premiere at Sundance, the largest independent film festival in the U.S., on Jan. 22. Coming Soon. Showtime documentary focuses on Montana cases of missing, murdered Indigenous girls. The Fort Belknap Indian Community Council announced a tribal police officer would be allowed to return to his regular duties after he shot and. Historic low temps are possible on Thursday. Officials and advocates say the cases are unique and dont appear to be related. 2. The films range from dramatic narratives and documentaries to experimental works, horror and comedy. Melanie was also on the floor, face-up, and was shot in the head and chest. I dont think the issue is real.. I knew that going in, and I knew that because Matthew and I are not private investigators. Native Americans comprise 6.7% of the states population, yet they account for, on average, 26% of Montanas missing persons population. The ringleader Gonzalez also ran a failing karate school, which was another reason why the moniker stuck. After the nightclub incident, Byrd moved heavily into the buy-here, pay-here car lot business, which he would later leave under the management of his stepdaughter, Ashley, and her husband, James Blue Markham. It was the home of Leonard Gonzalez, whose wife spoke with investigators. entrepreneur Byrd Bud Billings, 66, and his wife, Melinda, 43. were found in the master bedroom of the sprawling estate. We grow up thinking that survival is culture, and pretty soon we are doing things that we think are cultural practices, when really they are just survival techniques.. The series, "Murder in Big Horn," debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will be available for streaming on Showtime Feb. 3, broken into three hour-long episodes. Tice was cleared when authorities reviewed surveillance footage from the Billings home. Murder in Big Horn is directed by Razelle Benally, Oglala Lakota/Din, and Matthew Galkin and produced by the MacDonald siblings and Benally. Telling the communitys stories is important, Brien said. So, the news of their murders as part of a burglary shocked everyone. Ivan and Ivy produced Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible, an award-winning documentary about MMIW and resilience, and they have two other documentaries in post-production stages one on bison revitalization efforts on the Blackfeet Reservation and one on the MMIW crisis in the Blackfeet community. : Emails From Death Row chronicles the complex case that had multiple people involved in the burglary plan, with everyone eventually facing justice. Meanwhile. The man arrested was Leonard Lenny Gonzalez Sr., who later shared that the car belonged to his son Leonard Patrick Jr. After being apprehended, the state attorney declared that Leonard Sr. had admitted to the crime. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. It was the home of Leonard Gonzalez, whose wife spoke with investigators. By Chuck Baldwin. HeavyRunner, 20, was last seen on the Blackfeet Reservation in 2017. The concept of a killer is terrifying enough, as it is hard for most people. The ongoing Murdaugh family saga exposes murders, a suspicious death and a complex labyrinth of corruption. By the spring of 1989, the remains of nine victims had been discovered along the highways surrounding the city. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 43 m IMDb RATING 7.0 /10 34 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Crime In Pensacola Florida, two loving parents are brutally gunned down in their own home. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. We are waiting to hear from you. Bud Billings, 66, and his wife, Melanie, 43, were found shot to death on July 9, 2009. At the time of filming, Brien was the general manager and editor of Big Horn County News. On July 11, a caller reported that a van matching the description of the one sheriffs were after was behind a shed at a residence in West Pensacola. The Billings had sixteen security cameras throughout the home. A New Option for Performance and Recovery: CannaTape Sport Kinesiology Tape Uses CBD to Improve Every Wrap. The filmmakers and the NIWRC are creating a collection of resources for Indigenous families, including mental health resources, spearheaded by Ivan MacDonald. Over 50 women have been strangled in the west and southside of Chicago in the last two decades. Netflix launched its marketing campaign for this seven-part documentary series as if 'The Keepers' was your typical true crime murder mystery - but all was not as it seemed. John Joseph Caylon III, 28, pleaded. The young women are remembered through the recollections of family members and friends, who detail their shared barriers to justice and the lack of response from law enforcement officials. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. 'Murder in Big Horn' MMIW documentary to premiere at Sundance. Survivors reflect on the shocking boat crash that killed vibrant teenager Mallory Beach - and the demons that haunted troubled driver Paul Murdaugh. Another safe, a small one in the master bedroom for personal keepsakes and documents, was missing. Brien was one of the filmmakers first sources, and she quickly became central to the documentary. The bodies of entrepreneur Byrd Bud Billings, 66, and his wife, Melinda, 43, were found in the master bedroom of the sprawling estate. . With Michael Beach, Janine Turner, Dean Cain, Nick Searcy. The murders of Bud and Melanie Billings occurred on or about July 9, 2009, in Pensacola, Florida, United States. Shes a journalist based in Hardin who grew up on the Crow Reservation and is the central narrator in the production. After seeing the nationally publicized case, Pensacola native, Jimmie Lee Staley started looking into the case and found some questionable details that had been left out. Power." (Oxygen) Released in December 2021, this 90-minute documentary special, hosted by Troy Roberts, looks into the boat crash, the murders, the insurance fraud and more. Two Teenagers Come Forward in Byrd and Melanie Billings Case, Abraham Shakespeare's Co-Worker Sued Him Over Winning Lottery Ticket, Dorice Dee Dee Moore Slips Shocking Information to Reporter, "Death is a smell youll never forget, Sr. Deputy Robert Guy, of Escambia County Sheriffs Office, told. Ivan and Ivy MacDonald, sibling Blackfeet filmmakers, helped produce the series. What these families have lost is universally relatable. The suspects were caught on the familys surveillance system. Some speculated that the Billings adopted children so that they could receive money from the government. We had to really balance the series, so when Native families or people watch this, they are not feeling like they are being exploited.. Patrick Gonzalez was allowed to leave. In Pensacola Florida, two loving parents are brutally gunned down in their own home. He had participated and been sentenced to probation for an adoption scam with one of his wives: He and Cindy Reeve had pleaded nolo contendre, accepting punishment without admitting guilt. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. As deputies searched the house, the couples nine adopted special needs children were found cowering in terror and hiding in closets. Before running a used-car dealership in a run-down part of town, Byrd had been a strip club owner. The two directors also reached out to Ivy and Ivan MacDonald, a brother-sister team of filmmakers and enrolled members of the Blackfeet Tribe, who joined as producers of the series. [1] The suspects, dressed in "ninja garb," [2] stole a safe and other items during the break-in at the sprawling Billings home west of Pensacola. Theyreviewed surveillance tapes at a Walmart near Patricks home in Santa Rosa County, where they found footage of him purchasing the black boots and black clothing. Both filmmakers were united in their approach to immersive storytelling and narrative film. provided a possible lead. Byrd and Melanie Billings lived in Beulah, Florida, in a sprawling mansion with several children they had adopted. Was. To learn more about the case, watch Floribama Murders, airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen. Now, not only are people learning about Indigenous people, but Indigenous people are behind the camera telling these stories.. Filmmakers Razelle Benally and Matthew Galkin spent more than two years working on the documentary. Both of them had two biological children, each from their previous relationships but adopted 12 children, most of them with special needs. You can stream episodes here. the money the motive for the double homicide? These cases are our relatives.. After years of closing the case of the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings, spectators thought that justice had been served. Three days after the murder, a man was arrested after leads noted that his van matched the description of the getaway vehicle in the Billings murder. This is really a deep dive into these structural aspects of jurisdiction in Indian Country, legal barriers to justice, the political and cultural climate and why these cases arent taken seriously, he said. How do you give back to a community and support communities beyond collecting their stories? MacDonald asked. When Chelysa Owens-Cyr got the call, she was stunned. They. Directors Ian Clark Ben Mole You have permission to edit this article. : Emails From Death Row chronicles the complex case that had multiple people involved in the burglary plan, with everyone eventually facing justice. We put this team together so we wouldnt be performing parachute journalism or extractive storytelling, Galkin said. The cops only witnessone that never lies: surveillance cameras. In the series, Winburn described certain obstacles, including family members who wanted their 15 minutes of fame, which he said put more pressure on the Big Horn County Sheriffs Office. Murder In Big Horn, which focuses on the murders of three Indigenous women in Montana, will be available on Showtime starting Feb. 3. The Associated Press cited divorce records from his second wife in 1993 that revealed Billings had not been rich at that time: his total net worth at that time was just $1400. The Billings used them to monitor their children. Officers responded to a car crash shortly before midnight and discovered the driver had. Buddy Nesmith of Escambia Countys Sheriffs Office told producers. During the series, she discusses the unsolved case of her aunt Beverly Diane Brien, found dead in 1977 at the Big Horn County Fairgrounds. Frederick and Rakeem took plea deals and agreed to testify against Leonard Jr. At Leonard Jrs trial in late 2010, the prosecution stated that he was the mastermind behind the plan. That violence continues today, often carried out on the reservation within the communities. Like Benally, she was hesitant to talk with Galkin, not wanting to become involved with a project that wasnt going to ethically explore the underlying issues contributing to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. He said that Cab Tice, whod had business dealings with Bud, had double-crossed his father. He owned a pressure-cleaning business, and police believed he and Coldiron had done work at the home. Investigators theorized that the Billings case was a money score for Wiggins but turned into a "robbery that went horrifically bad, said Morgan. . Melanie was around 25 years old when she met Byrd and the two married in 1993, just four months after Byrds divorce from his second wife. I have definitely experienced small-town law enforcement entities that are just unwilling to engage with the media for various reasons, Galkin said. The first two shots to Buds legs were captured on camera. Women holding esteemed places in Indian nations, violence against Native women started very early.. Melanie, Byrds wife, was twenty years younger than him. What the footage does show is so clear in uncovering exactly what happened. One of the rooms that wasn't covered by camera - the master bedroom. The remaining suspects were charged with armed home invasion, robbery and murder. Read More: How Did Megan Leann Holden Die? In fact, all eight that were involved in the robbery/murder were tried and convicted, so why am I looking further into this case? This case hits home with me, because they lived in my hometown of Pensacola. Brien walks the viewer through the complexities of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies that respond to crimes on reservations and the jurisdictional issues and systematic failures that can happen during those investigations. It will be available to view online from Jan. 24 to Jan. 29, and it will also premiere on Showtime in the New Year. The couple dedicated their lives to taking care of these kids. By now, most Americans are familiar with the horrific murder of a Pensacola, Florida, couple by the name of Byrd and Melanie Billings. We are given a chance to present this information and these stories in however way we want to present them, Benally said. Byrd Billings, 66, was shot multiple times in the head and legs. It was very important to us to not go down the road to overload people with information and statistics.. A movie about the crimes and trial of Kermit Gosnell, an American doctor and abortion provider who was convicted of killing three fetuses and the involuntary manslaughter of a woman who died during a procedure. I think what he did is absolutely demonic to kill people in front of their kids, said Guy. Two new docs aim to change that, Montana film, actor among Indigenous works making unprecedented splash at Sundance, Selena Not Afraid's death ruled accidental, We are in need: Bill would help missing person searches, Bill would extend and expand Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force, 'Somehow our normal': Several Indigenous people missing in southeast Montana. Byrd Billings He had participated and been sentenced to probation for an adoption scam with one of his wives: He and Cindy Reeve had pleaded, Update: Police Release Dead Serial Killers Account of Murder of Samantha Koenig. She and her husband had brought their yacht there for repairs, but police suspected she may have been trying to flee to Mexico. He admitted to painting the car over to disguise it. Wiggins was charged with being accessory after the fact. I was confident in my ability to create a large commercial doc series, but the content was foreign to me, and I wanted it to be authentic, Galkin said. Wake Up Clear and Focused, Sleep with Somnus! The individuals behind the crime took the wrong one, according to investigators. PENSACOLA, Fla. (CBS/AP) The ringleader who led a group of armed men dressed as ninjas in the robbery and murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, a Florida couple known for adopting children with. For one, the getaway van that had linked Patrick with the murder case had multiple problems, including a busted second gear and reverse gear. The original story can be accessed here. We knew right from the beginning we did not want this to be newsy or information-driven, Galkin said. Scenes were filmed in Billings, Hardin, Lame Deer and Crow Agency. We are not investigative journalists, either. Murder in Big Horn, a three-part documentary set on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations, will premiere at the internationally acclai, Two documentaries, "Black and Missing" and "Murdered and Missing in Montana," break the true-crime mold and instead highlight cases of Black a. This is the story of, The Highway Murders. He was. The cop's only witness one that never lies surveillance cameras. But after uncovering many questionable details, independent investigation blog Conjuring Justice is making a compelling case that proves that the perpetrators of the crime are still at large. They carried rifles and wore masks, dressed in black clothes and black boots. He was concerned about being arrested in front of his children, according to investigators. Was the money the motive for the double homicide? There were eight people in total who faced charges related to this case, but only five of the number entered the Billings home, and the ringleader was later determined to be Leonard Gonzalez. But she never expected , Last year, scholarships were up to $10,000 for returning undergraduate applicants, up to $12,500 for graduate and professional students and up. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "Death is a smell youll never forget, Sr. Deputy Robert Guy, of Escambia County Sheriffs Office, told Floribama Murders, airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen. This community has faced hundreds of years of injustice.. Leonard Sr also told the police that he was the getaway driver while the others broke into the house. This led the authorities to his son, Leonard Gonzalez Jr. Leonard Jr taught self-defense classes and had some previous contact with the Billingses. Scenes are filmed in Billings, Hardin, Lame Deer and Crow Agency. 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