Man charged in Florida slayings has local tie

One of the men charged still has outstanding court fines in Middletown.

Wayne T. Coldiron

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer Updated 8:12 AM Thursday, July 16, 2009

One of the seven charged in a home-invasion double-homicide last week in Pensacola, Fla., had a brush with Middletown police in May 1990.

Wayne T. Coldiron, 41, of Pensacola, who was arrested Tuesday, July 14, in Florida and charged in the July 9 shooting deaths of a couple in their home, previously faced grand theft auto charges in Middletown Municipal Court.

However, that felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor in July 1990, according to the online court records. The records also noted that Coldiron still has $550 in unpaid fines for a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Florida authorities investigating the deaths of Melanie and Byrd Billings had recently contacted Middletown police to obtain Coldiron’s photo and fingerprints, which were forwarded to them, according to Middletown police.

Coldiron, who listed his occupation as a day laborer, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of premeditated murder, a capital felony, and with home-invasion robbery with a firearm or other deadly weapon, a first-degree felony. He is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.

The Billings, known for adopting a large brood of children with special needs, were shot to death in their nine-bedroom house by a group of seven masked men, some dressed as ninjas. Investigators said the suspects trained for 30 days to execute the precise, methodical crime, the Associated Press reported.

A surveillance camera that recorded a red van used as a getaway vehicle eventually led to the capture of the suspects, who ranged in age from 16 to 56, who were described as a loosely connected group of mostly day laborers who knew each other through a power washing business and an auto detailing operation, the Associated Press reported.

Nine of the couple’s 13 adopted children were home during the break-in. Three saw the intruders but were not hurt.

This report contains information from The Associated Press.

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