In July 2009, a group of men kicked in the doors of the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings, killing the couple and stealing a small safe. Patrick Gonzalez was convicted for the murders and faces a re-sentencing hearing over the death penalty.
Gonzalez and others – Donnie Stallworth, Gary Sumner, Wayne Coldiron, Lenny Gonzalez, Pam Wiggins, Frederick Thornton and Rakeem Florence – were convicted, largely due to the testimony of Thornton and Florence who were in their teens at the time. Â Patrick’s father Lenny and Wiggins died in prison.
Last month, Florence filed an affidavit with the court recanting his testimony: “I wrote and gave  spoken statements about and involving the murder and robbery of Byrd and Melanie Billings in July of 2009. Every statement/testimony I made was false, hearsay and strategic coercion.”
He continued, “I would like to recant all statement testimony made involving Case #2009 CF 003249H because of lies I told at the age of 16. There is also evidence to prove this to be true. I’m writing this on my own volition.”
Read Florence-Affidavit.
Florence is in the Avon Park Correctional Institution. He was convicted of second-degree murder and home invasion/robbery. His release date is May 8, 2032.