Early this week the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office had a forfeiture hearing before Judge Frank Judge concerning the 1971 Buick Gran Sport Convertible that Pamela and Hugh Wiggins own. As part of that hearing, Investigator Thomas Watts submitted an affidavit as how the car is involved with Billings’ murder investigation.
According to Watt’s affidavit:
Co-defendants reported that Pamela Wiggins’ 2005 Chevrolet Venture was left at 9717 Mobile Highway, a predetermined location near the Billings’ home, on the night of the murders to aid in the suspects’ escape from the home.
The firearms used in the crime and the safe taken from the home were placed inside the van. In his July 15 statement to investigators, Hugh Wiggins told the ECSO that the stolen safe was hidden in Pamela Wiggins’ backyard. The safe was later recovered from the place described by Hugh Wiggins.
Pamela Wiggins told investigators that she placed the murder weapon – a 9mm gun – in the back seat of the 1971 Buick. She told them that one could not find the gun by simply raising the back seat and gave the investigators specific details on how to find the weapon.
Ms. Wiggins drove the car to a mechanic’s house at 6905 W. Jackson Street and parked the car in the driveway. She locked the car and placed a tarp over it. Hugh Wiggins also told investigators that the murder weapon was hidden in his car and that his wife had dropped the car off at the mechanic’s house.
The vehicle was seized for forfeiture on July 15, based of Investigator Watt’s belief the car is contraband and used in violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.
Judge Frank Bell has yet to make a ruling on the forfeiture.
