The Surveillance System and The Tapes

[nomoresorrow]

My thoughts at this time;

News reports have stated that one of the children went to a neighbors home for help - Why? Was the landline phone not working? I've considered the special needs issues with the kids but something tells me that MB & BB taught their children *especially in light of everyday health & safety issues within the home* basic safety procautions and procedures such as calling 911 - more than likely it was on speed-dial. I can't help but wonder if the telephone lines were cut . . .
The following real estate link (below) states that the home "is hard wired to a huge generator in case of power outages." In that case if the perps had cut off the power supply in order to disable the alarm system, video cams and intercom system, the generator would have automatically kicked on (timer can be set anywhere from 30 secs to 2 minutes after power outage is detected) and turned the surveillance system back on.

Scenerio might have gone something like this;

Designated person in charge of disabling the telephone line(s) & power supply to the home - - -

Once telephone/power are successfully disabled he either meets back up with the other perps or sends a message via cellphone or handheld radio giving them the go ahead ---

By the time that the perps descend upon the home from the front and the back, the generator has kicked in and the surveillance system/cams are back up and running but no one is aware of it at that time - - -

Once in the home they realized that the power was on - this would explain the 4 minute rush and no time for safe #2. ( the $100,000 jackpot) IMO, I don't believe that BB & MB were in bed at that time of the evening. Like many others have stated, what parent with 2 kids, let alone 9, goes to bed between 7 to 7:30 pm?!?! IMO they were escorted to the bedroom and killed there because the killer(s) believed there weren't cameras there.
- - -
The next question is why would PLG even bother claiming that he was innocent if he knew that it was all caught on tape? He may not have known that it was ALL caught on tape OR in keeping with his over-inflated self image and false sense of intelligence, he may have thought that his "ninja" garb provided him just enough anonymity that at least LE wouldn't be able to distinquish (prove) exactly which "ninja" did what. (which 'ninja" was the shooter)

Then again, I could be way off here . . .

MOO

(Click on home info)
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/home-info/67457762_zpid/

Link about hardwired generators:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_12_37/ai_n19344987/

 

[Theonly1]

My thoughts at this time;

News reports have stated that one of the children went to a neighbors home for help - Why? Was the landline phone not working? I've considered the special needs issues with the kids but something tells me that MB & BB taught their children *especially in light of everyday health & safety issues within the home* basic safety procautions and procedures such as calling 911 - more than likely it was on speed-dial. I can't help but wonder if the telephone lines were cut . . .
The following real estate link (below) states that the home "is hard wired to a huge generator in case of power outages." In that case if the perps had cut off the power supply in order to disable the alarm system, video cams and intercom system, the generator would have automatically kicked on (timer can be set anywhere from 30 secs to 2 minutes after power outage is detected) and turned the surveillance system back on.

Scenerio might have gone something like this;

Designated person in charge of disabling the telephone line(s) & power supply to the home - - -

Once telephone/power are successfully disabled he either meets back up with the other perps or sends a message via cellphone or handheld radio giving them the go ahead ---

By the time that the perps descend upon the home from the front and the back, the generator has kicked in and the surveillance system/cams are back up and running but no one is aware of it at that time - - -

Once in the home they realized that the power was on - this would explain the 4 minute rush and no time for safe #2. ( the $100,000 jackpot) IMO, I don't believe that BB & MB were in bed at that time of the evening. Like many others have stated, what parent with 2 kids, let alone 9, goes to bed between 7 to 7:30 pm?!?! IMO they were escorted to the bedroom and killed there because the killer(s) believed there weren't cameras there.
- - -
The next question is why would PLG even bother claiming that he was innocent if he knew that it was all caught on tape? He may not have known that it was ALL caught on tape OR in keeping with his over-inflated self image and false sense of intelligence, he may have thought that his "ninja" garb provided him just enough anonymity that at least LE wouldn't be able to distinquish (prove) exactly which "ninja" did what. (which 'ninja" was the shooter)

Then again, I could be way off here . . .

MOO

(Click on home info)
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/home-info/67457762_zpid/

Link about hardwired generators:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_12_37/ai_n19344987/

Do we know that the perps disabled the power to the house on the day of the killings?

So, is there a chance the perps did not know about the generator? Like you speculated, depending on how long the timer for the generator was set, if the power was cut by the perps in anticipation of intrusion and then they noticed that the power was on when they broke in, this could have greatly freaked them out and altered their plans.

One wonders whether they cut the electricity on their alleged "dry run". I'm assuming they did not.

 

[mom23gr8kids]

All of that is pretty far out there speculation. I have heard nothing of the power or phone lines being cut. I think that these guys were just too dumb to even realize there was a security system with surveillance cameras.

And as for why the child went to AS, it wasn't JUST a neighbor. This lady lives on the property. She is also an extremely close family friend who helps to care for these children as well. She has been in these children's lives since they first came to live with Melanie and Bud. I honestly think they were scared and overwhelmed and simply went to the first person they knew they could depend on and trust. This child is only 11 years old, with special needs so not a typical 11 yr old. Did the children know how to use the phone? Of course but in a situation like this I think they were just too overwhelmed to think and went to the first safe place.

 

[nomoresorrow]

Do we know that the perps disabled the power to the house on the day of the killings?

So, is there a chance the perps did not know about the generator? Like you speculated, depending on how long the timer for the generator was set, if the power was cut by the perps in anticipation of intrusion and then they noticed that the power was on when they broke in, this could have greatly freaked them out and altered their plans.

One wonders whether they cut the electricity on their alleged "dry run". I'm assuming they did not.

No, we don't know if the telephone/power was disabled at the home - pure speculation on my part. Just formulating thoughts, ideas and possibilities on why, despite having trained for a month beforehand, the surveillance system/cams were on. The above speculation occurred to me because of the report that one of the kids went to a neighbors for help + seeing the home info on the real estate website where it mentions a hardwired generator. Perhaps it was during the dry run, when they realized that the outside lights came on after dark & were motion sensored that A) cutting the power was the way to go and B) entering the home before dark so that they were still able to see their way around the home. Just a thought . . .

MOO

 

[passionflower]

as for the side door open, alarm off.................inside job?
Someone that works around the house?
Who was the LAST PERSON to see the couple alive?
Who was the LAST PERSON to leave the house???
Just thinking outloud, IMO...............needs to be looked at also.

 

[nomoresorrow]

All of that is pretty far out there speculation. I have heard nothing of the power or phone lines being cut. I think that these guys were just too dumb to even realize there was a security system with surveillance cameras.

And as for why the child went to AS, it wasn't JUST a neighbor. This lady lives on the property. She is also an extremely close family friend who helps to care for these children as well. She has been in these children's lives since they first came to live with Melanie and Bud. I honestly think they were scared and overwhelmed and simply went to the first person they knew they could depend on and trust. This child is only 11 years old, with special needs so not a typical 11 yr old. Did the children know how to use the phone? Of course but in a situation like this I think they were just too overwhelmed to think and went to the first safe place.

It may be "far out there speculation" but I was simply sharing a possibility that occurred to me based upon the report of the child going to a neighbors for help + seeing the info about the home having a hardwired generator. I don't buy that "these guys were just too dumb to even realize there was a security system with surveillance cameras" - not in a million years, IMO. I also addressed the special needs issue with the child/children in my post above but frankly I have "personally" known and worked with alot of "special needs" children, all of which have many different & varying degrees of disabilities and still are quite capable of pushing #1 (speed-dial 911) on a phone. You make a very valid point about the child opting to run to someone he knows and trusts + lives in a home that sits directly next to the Billings' home, that could very well be the case.

MOO

 

[UnderDog]

All of that is pretty far out there speculation. I have heard nothing of the power or phone lines being cut. I think that these guys were just too dumb to even realize there was a security system with surveillance cameras.

And as for why the child went to AS, it wasn't JUST a neighbor. This lady lives on the property. She is also an extremely close family friend who helps to care for these children as well. She has been in these children's lives since they first came to live with Melanie and Bud. I honestly think they were scared and overwhelmed and simply went to the first person they knew they could depend on and trust. This child is only 11 years old, with special needs so not a typical 11 yr old. Did the children know how to use the phone? Of course but in a situation like this I think they were just too overwhelmed to think and went to the first safe place.

I thought Gwen Echo assisted with the children's care in 2005 and was the "family friend". Wasn't that the 2005 story? AS is a nurse and was on-call at the time of the murders. AS also listed new employment at a nursing home. With all due respect to the "too dumb" to know about the surveillance, Sheriff Morgan has made it clear the perps knew of that system or they wouldn't be looking for a person that would disable it. Or are you saying the Sheriff overstepped his authority? He's been "removed" from further public comment, no doubt it was at the behest of the family lawyer that is more interested in shutting down any further investigation than pursuing the motive for murder, IMO. The family lawyer looked absolutely silly when she said she wished the reporters would just "go". With regard to "wild speculation", it was considered wild speculation that the Billings had a stack of cash in the house and yet we now know they did. It was wild speculation that this was a "planned" murder, yet now we know there were training sessions for up to a MONTH. It was wild speculation that BB would have ANY association with Gonzales, yet we now know it's very likely and not out of the ordinary for BB to donate $1000 or more to Gonzales' Project FIGHTback. And it was wild speculation that BB would "copyright" the children...Sheriff Morgan has been gagged and this case is far from being "solved".
http://www.pnj.com/article/20090723/NEWS01/907230319
Billings investigation public phase ending

 

[mom23gr8kids]

Yes Gwen worked for the family as well. April did not work there full time. She and Melanie were best friends and had been close for many, many years. April helps with the children in the evening after other help has left and is also available to help with weekend respite care for the children should anything come up.

I just see nothing sinister or strange about a child choosing to go to an adult they trust who is very close by. In my experience with children, and I am a teacher of students with special needs, this seems a very normal reaction.

 

[UnderDog]

I agree that the child made a good decision to exit the residence and go directly to the adjacent quarters. But you also stated the perps were "too dumb" to know there was surveillance. I understand your bias, it's only natural when you are emotionally involved, but that assumption flies in the face of the facts.

 

[mikeysmommom]

I thought Gwen Echo assisted with the children's care in 2005 and was the "family friend". Wasn't that the 2005 story? AS is a nurse and was on-call at the time of the murders. AS also listed new employment at a nursing home. With all due respect to the "too dumb" to know about the surveillance, Sheriff Morgan has made it clear the perps knew of that system or they wouldn't be looking for a person that would disable it. Or are you saying the Sheriff overstepped his authority? He's been "removed" from further public comment, no doubt it was at the behest of the family lawyer that is more interested in shutting down any further investigation than pursuing the motive for murder, IMO. The family lawyer looked absolutely silly when she said she wished the reporters would just "go". With regard to "wild speculation", it was considered wild speculation that the Billings had a stack of cash in the house and yet we now know they did. It was wild speculation that this was a "planned" murder, yet now we know there were training sessions for up to a MONTH. It was wild speculation that BB would have ANY association with Gonzales, yet we now know it's very likely and not out of the ordinary for BB to donate $1000 or more to Gonzales' Project FIGHTback. And it was wild speculation that BB would "copyright" the children...Sheriff Morgan has been gagged and this case is far from being "solved".
http://www.pnj.com/article/20090723/NEWS01/907230319
Billings investigation public phase ending

This case is very far from being over .........

 

[LaLaw2000]

They might not have had the alarm armed. In my home we do not set the alarm until we are going to bed otherwise every time a door or window is opened the alarm would go off. Same goes for motion in the house, if we moved the alarm would sound. There are other settings for alarms but most people do not have them armed while they are in the home unless they are sleeping.

I have a burglar alarm with 2 motion sensors in my house. The sensors are controlled by the same key pad, but different buttons. IIRC, I think I read in the 2005 article that the Billings' driveway sensor was always on for the kids safety. It would make sense that there would be a keypad by the front door, one by the back and side doors, and one in the Billings bedroom. My alarm has a big battery box so that if the electricity were to go off, the alarm still works. There are no outside wires to my burglar alarm at all so no one could disable it from outside. Either there was someone inside the house in on it, or the alarm was not yet set. Those are the only 2 options, IMO.

 

[Pcola Hog]

I have a burglar alarm with 2 motion sensors in my house. The sensors are controlled by the same key pad, but different buttons. IIRC, I think I read in the 2005 article that the Billings' driveway sensor was always on for the kids safety. It would make sense that there would be a keypad by the front door, one by the back and side doors, and one in the Billings bedroom. My alarm has a big battery box so that if the electricity were to go off, the alarm still works. There are no outside wires to my burglar alarm at all so no one could disable it from outside. Either there was someone inside the house in on it, or the alarm was not yet set. Those are the only 2 options, IMO.

I doubt the alarm was on other than making a beeping sound from the keypad when a door or window was open.

Sounds like you may have a basic alarm system. The Billings had little more expensive alarm/surveillance system that could be remotely controlled from another computer.

You can even buy alarm/surveillance systems that can be turned on or off by cell phones these days.

 

[Curious Me]

Wow, I hadn't thought of that angle where a generator could have kicked in. Just want to thank you all for sharing what you know about the surveillance system and what you see in the camera shots.

Sorry, but all I have are questions on this subject.

Was the person in charge of turning off the surveillance system an insider that would've been able to give the go-ahead for the others to charge ahead? Did someone bungle the turning off of the surveillance system, or were they a no-show? Another question I have is - What made the one child run for help?

 

[LaLaw2000]

I doubt the alarm was on other than making a beeping sound from the keypad when a door or window was open.

Sounds like you may have a basic alarm system. The Billings had little more expensive alarm/surveillance system that could be remotely controlled from another computer.

You can even buy alarm/surveillance systems that can be turned on or off by cell phones these days.

BBM

I know there are alarm systems that can be turned off via cell phone and armed or disarmed via computer.

But with all due respect, I do not think we know just what kind of alarm system the Billinngs household had. Could have had all kinds of bells and whistles, and maybe not. I think only LE and the Billings family and those allowed to know would know all of the intricases (sp) of it. OR the installer.

 

[pilgrim]

Just a thought but, if LPGjr is the perp for the bank robberies in Gulf Breeze, as is insinuated on Ricksblog.biz, don't you think that he probably knew he was under surveillance at the banks also? But that did not stop him. Maybe he felt pretty secure, even though the cameras were rolling, that he was not going to be caught with the ninja garb. After all, he had gotten away with it at least twice before.

 

[daisy7]

Just a thought but, if LPGjr is the perp for the bank robberies in Gulf Breeze, as is insinuated on Ricksblog.biz, don't you think that he probably knew he was under surveillance at the banks also? But that did not stop him. Maybe he felt pretty secure, even though the cameras were rolling, that he was not going to be caught with the ninja garb. After all, he had gotten away with it at least twice before.

Hmm...

The ninja gear continues to puzzle me. Sheriff Morgan has repeatedly stated that someone was supposed to but didn't disable the cameras. This makes sense considering they drove 2 distinctive vehicles that could be tied directly to the perps.

So, if they thought the cameras would be disabled, why the ninja gear? Maybe so the perps. couldn't identify each other? Just throwing this out there.

 

[Tuffy]

Hmm...

The ninja gear continues to puzzle me. Sheriff Morgan has repeatedly stated that someone was supposed to but didn't disable the cameras. This makes sense considering they drove 2 distinctive vehicles that could be tied directly to the perps.

So, if they thought the cameras would be disabled, why the ninja gear? Maybe so the perps. couldn't identify each other? Just throwing this out there.

This is a really good question, and one I have been wondering myself. Why would you plan on disabling the surveillance equipment, kill the witnesses, and wear ninja disguises? For a plan that took a month to plan and rehearse, this doesn't seem to make much sense.

 

[Choux]

Hmm...

The ninja gear continues to puzzle me. Sheriff Morgan has repeatedly stated that someone was supposed to but didn't disable the cameras. This makes sense considering they drove 2 distinctive vehicles that could be tied directly to the perps.

So, if they thought the cameras would be disabled, why the ninja gear? Maybe so the perps. couldn't identify each other? Just throwing this out there.

The ninja garb doesn't puzzle me knowing Jr.'s involvement. I don't think it was to disguise themselves, I believe it was simply the "uniform".

He did wear ninja/karate/various martial arts related garb a lot, someone posted that he even wore it to school sometimes. The school allowing it, is still flipping me out...so much for the dress codes.

I'm not even going to try and crawl inside of his mind, based from what I knew *OF* him, it's not a place I want to be. The thing with Jr. I've been trying to think of the best way to sum him up, but he's far too complicated to do that. You have to think of person who lives and breathes martial arts, he's overly, possibly even insanely obsessed with martial arts.

This is a guy, who could sit around and talk nonstop of how his martial arts training would allow him to take anybody down. I'm actually surprised the guy didn't become a bounty hunter and give Dog and Lenny a run for the reality TV money, looking back in hindsight, as he did have an infatuation with planning out how best to take down the bad guys.

The "mini-team" of ninjas, is what puzzled me at first. Not the fact they were dressed as ninjas, but the number involved, as the Jr. I knew of as Pat, was so full of himself and his capabilities, he could have easily envisioned himself, executing this entire scenario, single handed. Except for the need of carrying out a safe or any other potentially heavy object fast and the outside chance of another adult(s) being inside another area of the home that may need controlled.

I'm still on the edge, wondering if there was an individual, that was supposed to disable the security system. The security at the home, I'm starting to believe will be one of those things which will forever baffle me.

 

[pilgrim]

What do you sleuths think about the possibility that the ninja's did not know about the extensive outdoor surveillance cameras but knew of the indoor system only so a ninth person was not needed. Maybe they (primarily LPGjr) were confidant that their costumes were all they needed since in theory they had worked so well when robbing the banks. If the outdoor cameras had not caught the clown car then the LE would be SOL just as with the bank robberies.

 

[Gene]

Hmm...

The ninja gear continues to puzzle me. Sheriff Morgan has repeatedly stated that someone was supposed to but didn't disable the cameras. This makes sense considering they drove 2 distinctive vehicles that could be tied directly to the perps.

So, if they thought the cameras would be disabled, why the ninja gear? Maybe so the perps. couldn't identify each other? Just throwing this out there.

The "mini-team" of ninjas, is what puzzled me at first. Not the fact they were dressed as ninjas, but the number involved, as the Jr. I knew of as Pat, was so full of himself and his capabilities, he could have easily envisioned himself, executing this entire scenario, single handed. Except for the need of carrying out a safe or any other potentially heavy object fast and the outside chance of another adult(s) being inside another area of the home that may need controlled..

Many people seem to be puzzled by three issues:

* Ninja Gear
* Number of Ninjas
* The rapidity of the crime (10 minutes total, 4 minutes in the house)

I think that there is a simple answer to all of this....the children.

They knew that there would be a house full of disabled kids. LPG planned to kill the parents but not to hurt the kids. They could plan everything, but not the reaction of the kids. Would the children start to scream? Would they bolt out of the house? Would they try to defend their parents? They had absolutely no idea what to expect of the children and had to be prepared for their "worst case scenario".

* Ninja Gear: Since the children would survive, they did not want the children to be witnesses. Even if they believed the cameras were shut off, the children would be able to ID them. Thus the Ninja Gear. The Ninja Gear would also frighten and help to subdue the children. Logical, right?

* Number of Ninjas: There were 7 men, but I believe only 5 entered the house, two stayed with the vehicles I believe. If it was planned that two men were to take and murder the parents, this would leave 3 to make sure that the children were "kept under control". 3 men to control a houseful of disabled, unpredictable children under a great deal of stress? Does not seem so many to me. Certainly 1 or 2 men would not be sufficient given the fact that there were so many children.

* Rapidity of the Crime: Again, consider the children factor. The longer the crime goes on the more "out of control" the situation could become. Since they planned and reheased this for a month, I am sure that they planned to do it as quickly as possible in order to minimize the possibility of losing control over the situation.