Today the daily newspaper published the interview with Silvano Gonzalez, that we posted on this blog on Monday. Based on that interview, the paper reports “Mafia theory falls flat in Billings murder case.” I don’t know if the Mexican Mafia is involved in the murders of Bud and Melanie Billings.
I do know that several of the witnesses and suspects mentioned the Mexican mafia. Several that I’ve interviewed are scared to death of them.
Patrick Gonzalez mentioned them to Chief Deputy Bill Chavers. Tice brings it up in his interview. Then in August, Silvano Gonzalez tells investigators he made it all up.
But why did Tice mention the Mexican mafia if it had nothing to do with Billings case? Tice also tells investigators about Jose Sanchez, who Tice is a used car dealer and money launderer. He tells that he threatened Sanchez, who Tice also claimed was trying to destroy his ex-wife and son’s car business in Foley. “If you ever pull a gun on me, I’ll take it away from you and beat you to death with it.”
Is there a Mexican mafia in the Pensacola area? As I reported earlier, the Cancun Mexican Grill (Gulf Breeze) had direct ties to the Mexican drug cartels, according to testimony in the trial of Rogelio Galvan-Chavez. Chavez was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, conspiracy to use a communication facility to commit a felony, concealing, harboring and shielding illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, and aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm by two illegal aliens.
The Sun Herald in Biloxi reported on the Mexican mafia in south Mississippi (read). Guns and Hugh Wiggins are mentioned in the article.
Not sure why the PNJ continues to diss any story angles beyond what the state attorney releases.