money sitting there. it's your money, ask for it and get it back. >> tammy: and i think the main message here is we can't rely on the governments to protect us. i mean, each person out there really needs to be proactive and go after what they're entitled to. >> the government is not your friend, specifically the federal government. they are not protecting you. if you look at the federal trade commission, their banner is "we protect the american consumer". what a crock of you-know-what. >> yeah. >> the federal trade commission has never sued a pharmaceutical company for false and misleading advertising. i wrote a lot of the direct mail campaigns for credit card companies that were categorically false and misleading, and the federal trade commission never sued a single bank for false and misleading advertising, although that's what they did for years and years and years and we all know it now. how come the federal trade commission doesn't sue a bank for false and misleading advertising when that's what they did?

you know why? they're too busy suing me because i wrote a book and said it was easy, and they fined me $37 million. now, tell me how that's protecting the american citizen. they don't even, they don't even call them american citizens. the federal trade commission calls them american consumers. see, you only matter to the government if you consume. you're not a consumer. for those of you who are watching, you're an american citizen. your government treats you like crap. but you are an american citizen and you have rights under the constitution, and that's what my books are about, exposing the corruption in government and giving people ways in which they can empower themselves, take control, take their life back and take their country back. >> i have a question that i wanted to ask because it's not just about free money in here, you have free services too. there's free legal, there's free medical, there's free dental, free glasses. >> yeah, there's free legal advice, you know, counseling advice. there's a whole bunch of free advice and free services that are available as well, and free stuff, you know, there's a lot

of free stuff you can get as well, a lot of tricks where you can get a lot of free stuff, as well as money. >> patricia: who doesn't li free? >> you know, there's free trips, there's free travel, free hotel rooms, upgrades, all these different type of things. >> but you said you got sued for $37 million? >> yes. >> my question to you is, why stick your neck out there? >> good question. >> well, you know, i don't get paid on these books. the government went into court and tried to stop me from appearing on television, they banned me from talk... i cannot appear on tv and talk about any books in which i have an interest. so guess what? i gave up. i don't have copyrights, i don't have an interest in these books, i don't get paid one dime in royalties, and the government hates me, they go, "how is this... why is this guy doing it?" and i look at them and go, you don't seem to understand. you're not protecting the american citizen. someone's gotta stand up. ralph nader's getting a little old. >> that's just what i was thinking. >> you know, ralph nader's getting a little old, so somebo else has to step up to the plate and look out for the american citizen, and i think that's just the role that i've had. this is the book here, free money. it teaches you how to access and

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federal government. and mariachi. it's big business these days. meet one of mariachi's most successful entrepreneurs. >> hello, everybody. from the "hispanics today" studios in washington d.c. i'm erica ortiz. bienvenidos and welcome. some of the most unforgettable comedies on television dealt with sensitive topics. but somehow, tv found a way to smooth troubled waters and make us laugh. for "ugly betty" star tony plana, the topic he has learned to tackle with grace and humor is immigration. in tony's case, it was not just a storyline read from the script. he brought to bear some firsthand knowledge of the topic. >> action! >> that i will support and defend the constitution and laws of the united states government. >> "hispanics today" was the only media camera crew on the set of "ugly betty" for the making of the groundbreaking tv episode in which the character,

ignacio suarez, becomes a legalized u.s. citizen. >> it is a scene that we have been building to for over a season now, and it allows us to do something that is politically timely, that's emotional. >> some people have called me the poster child of the illegal immigrant. i mean, i certainly don't want to be that. but in some ways, i don't mind being that. >> tony plata knows exactly what ignacio suarez needs to think and feel, because in real life, tony's family fled cuba for america when he was a boy. >> i feel very close to ignacio suarez in that we both share this immigrant experience. it was very easy to connect with the emotions that go through you, having gone through it myself. a very powerful moment for me. >> so his character on tv becoming a legalized u.s. citizen was one of those truth is stranger than fiction moments with tony plana. >> te quiero. >> te quiero.

>> taking that step was very important to me and very meaningful. doing it, studying for it,nd also taking the oath and being there with a lot of other -- it's a rite of passage. and it's an unforgettable experience. i felt very proud to become a part of this country and someone who could call themself an american. >> and as an american, tony hopes that ignacio suarez, who touches real people in their homes, can in some way help to find middle ground in reaching immigration reform. >> having a character that many have grown to know and like and identify with, and all of the sudden to have that character reveal that he is an illegal immigrant, and to go into the reasons why he is an illegal immigrant, must have been not only shocking but also in many ways transformational. and if it did anything, it

forced many people to realize that there are real human beings behind the anonymous 14 million people that we are talking about and that we are trying to create public policy about. now, if "ugly betty" is able to achieve even a little bit of that, i am very, very happy. >> with all the stories we've been bringing you on tony plana, it only makes sense to give his web site a plug. you can follow everything going on in his diverse career by going to tonyplana.com. from the theater work he does in east l.a. to the latest "ugly betty" news, it's all there. when we come back, we'll show you how another web site could prove very lucrative for you. uncle sam is hiring, and thousands of good jobs are open for latinos. we'll show you where to find them. "hispanics today" will return in a moment. welcome to progressive. how may i help you? i'm looking for a deal on car insurance. i think i might have a coupon in here. there's an easier way.

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>> welcome back to "hispanics today." you remember the old army recruiting signs with uncle sam pointing, wanting you? well, these days, uncle sam needs more than soldiers. a wave of baby boomer retirements has hit the federal government, and that spells lots of opportunity for a young and growing hispanic workforce. here is how to get in on some of those great jobs. >> for decades, a federal job spelled security for millions of americans. 1.6 million at last count on the most recent government payroll. but even uncle sam isn't immune to the booming shortage of workers brought on by the first wave of baby boomer retirements. >> and we're no different than the private sector in that we have a large group of baby boomers who will be reaching retirement eligibility over this decade that we have just

entered. and so we will be experiencing that same talent drain and opening up of new positions. >> possibilities and opportunities for hispanics, especially. with a growing workforce and a younger workforce compared to other population groups, hispanics are well-positioned to profit when fallout from the first wave of baby boomer retirees is felt in the next few years. >> 60% of the federal government wkforce will be eligible to retire during this decade that we are in, the next ten years that we have entered. and there is no question that the opportunity is there. >> dr. luis valerio didn't wait for the retirements to get his federal job. he's a toxicologist who could have had his pick of any job. but he targeted the federal government and the food and drug administration in large part because of the security it offered him and his young family, but also because of the challenges it presented. >> it's exciting to work at the fda because the nature of the

projects are complex, and you know that the work you are doing will ultimately have an impact on people. >> after graduating from the university of colorado, dr. valerio started his career testing skin products for mary kay cosmetics in dallas. he then moved to the fda, where he has played a key role in safeguarding first our food supply, and most recently, drugs slated for fda approval. growing up near pueblo, colorado, such a job was the furthest thing from luis' mind. but even then, he knew he loved science. >> early on, my parents gave me a microscope when i was ten years old and i played a lot with that. and little did i know, later i would be using the microscope in my career. i believe that my surroundings and living close to mother nature and having a lot of respect for the outdoors and the complexities of how nature

works always fascinated me and inspired me to help understand our environment around us. >> luis is the second ph.d in his family. his father, luis senior, also earned a doctorate in education after serving in the military. passing along that tradition of education his father started is important to luis. >> i think it's more impressive that from my grandparents, who did not finish the third grade, the jump in educational level to my father's generation, who obtained a ph.d. and that hard work i admire very greatly and wish to ss the same values along to our two children that we have in suburban washington d.c. >> but of course, not everyone is fortunate to have a doctorate or even a college education. not to worry, says linda springer, director of the office of personnel management.

the hiring arm of the federal government is looking for all skill sets to fill tens of thousands of federal jobs each ar. >> let me put on my sales hat for a minute and say why i think it's so important and why it's so attractive for people to consider federal positions. it's public service, and 's got that dimension, but for the individual themselves, there is no occupation, no type of job that you could look for that you can't do somewhere in a federal government agency. and it is not about bureaucracy. these are exciting jobs. and no matter what it is, there is something for you to do. >> i am the lead engineer for avionics, and i love it. >> that is very impressive. where do you work? >> i work for the united states government. >> how do i start? how do i find those opportunities? what we've been doing is to put more things online, for example. usajobs.gov is the main entry point to find jobs that the federal government has across the country.

>> i went to the web site, i examined the qualifications and responsibilities of the position, and that helped me decide whether to apply. and i used the usa jobs website to apply for the position i have currently as a toxicologist. >> to encourage more hispanics to take the same steps, the office of personnel management has launched a new ad campaign, targeted to the hispanic audience. >> we really do have something to offer that's not just about sitting behind a metal desk in washington d.c. for the rest of your life. >> once you enter the federal government, and for example, i'm with the fda, there are many, many opportunities inside in terms of what direction you could take your career. >> and if the thought of relocating to washington d.c. has you somewhat reluctant, consider that 80% of all federal jobs are located outside of the nation's capital.

>> one of the most valuable features of the usa jobs web site is the assistance it gives in resumé preparation. not all federal jobs accept traditional resumés. this web site has a resumé buder that helps you put your experience into the proper format the government requires. and sabes que? the washington d.c. area, of course, always leads the way in the number of federal jobs. but in addition to d.c., virginia and maryland, what two states round out the top five in federal job openings? we'll have that answer coming up. and also just ahead, we'll take you inside the big money world of mariachi and meet one of its rising stars.

>> welcome back to "hispanics today." here's the answer to our sabes que question of the week: what two states other than d.c., virginia and maryland lead the way in hiring federal employees? sabes que? georgia and florida round out the top five states for hiring federal workers. for our next subject, growing up in a strong mexican household in los angeles meant lots of exposure to mariachi. even then, josé hernàndez knew music would play a big role in his life. but he couldn't have imagined just how big. today, josé is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the big-money world of mariachi. but he'll be the first to tell you, it's not just about the money. it's also tradition. >> he's a perfectionist whose passion is the music that is

deep-rooted in tradition. mariachi. a tradition which fills maestro josé hernàndez with pride. >> i had very mexican parents that shared their love for their culture and their country with me. so at home, it was very much mexico. you know, mariachi. everyone singing. >> he started playing the trumpet at 15, and joined his older brother's mariachi. but his creative streak and different ideas on how a mariachi should perform led him to break away. and at 21 years old, he formed mariachi sol de mexico. >> in the beginning, they thought i was crazy. "why are you writing for cellos and french horns" -- you know, in my recordings. "why are you doing that? why are you mixing the concert harp together with a mican harp? why are you doing that?" and i just say, hey, you know, sometimes the old songs need a facelift. you know? that was my way of giving our

music some plastic surgery. >> josé rehearses with sol de mexico every week. his brother jesús is part of the loyal team. now 26 years old, his mariachi continues to have the appearce of eternal youth and beauty. but that's no coincidence. josé admits he is out to please his audience with some eye candy. they say -- en español, they say "de la vista, nace la amor." it is very important, i think -- that to erase our stereotype. because first thing, a lot of people used to think, oh, mariachis are the four fat mexicans playing "la cantina." mariachis, you know, they're young, good looking guys that are very talented. >> an accomplished musician, josé is a composer, arranger, record producer, and without a doubt, a mariachi visionary, turning the music he loves into a lucrative business. more than 20 years ago, he

bought cielito lindo, a restaurant in south el monte, east of los angeles, that provides his musicians with a steady job. they perform there every night when they are not on tour. >> if you work hard and u have a dream, and you present something with class, you will do good. you don't do it for the fact of making money. you do it because you're very passionate about what you love. >> but in this case, the money isn't bad. between his recordings, concerts and the restaurant, josé's mariachi business rakes in two to four million dollars a ye. >> god has been good to me. i think this is my way of sharing, giving something back, trying to bless others the way god's blessed me. and i think through the heritage society, it makes that dream come true. >> josé is talking about the mariachi heritage society, a foundation he created to keep the mariachi tradition alive, and children out of trouble.

>> we all know that there's a lot of negative influences out there. but mariachi gives them a sense of belonging to a group. and it sort of connects them and their parents, because then their parents say, "oh, i used to hear that because your abuelita used to play that song for me!" >> on the d string. >> josé has his hands full with the business, but he likes to teach whenever he can. this class was lucky. the maestro stepped in for their weekly lesson. children ages seven to 18 can enroll in the music program. since its inception, more than a thousand kids have played a violin, strummed a guitar, and learned to sing the songs that josé hernàndez wants everyone to remember. >> he is very caring, very giving, and he is just so involved with just keeping the mariachi tradition alive, it's incredible. there's not enough hours in the day for him to continue with all this mariachi. he just would like to have it,

you know, 24-7. >> josé's involvement with the heritage society made him realize something was missing. >> i had three years of my foundation. the kids -- 50% of the kids were little girls. and the little kids would say, "oh, when i grow up, i want to play for you, maestro. i want to play in sol." but the girls, they had no role models. >> so he created mariachi reyna de los angeles, the first all-female mariachi in the united states. a top-notch group of young, talented ladies that play as good, or even better, than any mariachi. to keep them at the top of their game, josé also rehearses with the girls every week. >> i'm very proud of these girls, you know. and now the female students that we have at the heritage society have something to dream about. "wow, one day i want to play with la reynas." >> and there is another reason for him to be proud. josé, who is a fifth-generation mariachi, has handed down the

musical tradition to his daughter, karina, who plays violin with the mariachi reyna. josé's talent and dedication has attracted numerous artists throughout the years. he's worked with musical legends such as juan gabriel, vincente fernández, his son alejandro, and celia cruz. but his biggest break came after a 2006 performance at the white house, when luis miguel asked him to go on his "méxico en la piel" tour. >> we'd been touring the world with him, and it's truly an honor to be at that level and to be the mariachi of choice for him. he could take any mariachi he wants in the entire world, and definitely he knows all the mariachis that are around, the better mariachis. and we're the ones that got the call, so i feel very proud of that. >> mariachi sol shared the stage with el sol de mexico for 120 shows in six months. while his accomplishments are

many, josé's biggest success is sharing his passion, mariachi, with his family. >> my nieces and nephews, they all sing. we have it in the blood. and what better way to share it with everyone else? >> josé has collaborated on the composition of many film scores you might recognize. "seabiscuit," "american me," "don juan de marco," and "old gringo." when we return, we'll have a preview of some of the stories our producers are working to bring you in future weeks. "hispanics today" will be right back. we're shopping for car insurance, and our friends said we should start here. good friends -- we compare our progressive direct rates, apples to apples, against other top companies, to help you get the best price. how do you do that? with a touch of this button. can i try that? [ chuckles ]

wow! good luck getting your remote back. it's all right -- i love this channel. shopping less and saving more. now, that's progressive. call or click today.

>> welcome back. here are some of the things you can expect to see in upcoming shows. in the internet world we live in, identity theft has become an epidemic. we introduce you to the latina whose job is to safeguard the sensitive information of millions of customers at toyota, the world's largest carmaker. it started as a simple letter from a frustrated hispanic college student to the editor of a magazine. but his letter of frustration inspired countless entrepreneurs to chip in, and the hispanic college fund was born. 18 years after that letter was published, we show you just how big this financial aid powerhouse has become. and with so much at stake in the 2008 elections, we look at how latino voters could play a bigger role than ever in shaping history, and why neither party can afford to take the hispanic vote for granted. "hispanics today" will be right back.

>> before we leave, we want to remind you of our web site, hispanicstoday.com. from there, you can view past stories and keep up with current events. you can also share your feedback. if you have ideas or suggestions, we would love to hear from you. either go to the web site and click on the contact button, or e-mail us at ideas@hispanicstoday.com. we will see you again soon for another edition of "hispanics today." hasta la proxima vez.

language, her gut feeling is right on. the sheriff says the van in the video was the same one parked at the home of miss katherine's neighbor at a pressure washing business. could very been the same man who visited the billings' house the day of the murder? to miss katherine and others, he seemed a nar do well. >> i know that he had a real drinking problem. which was his business. you know? >> reporter: he drank lots of beer? >> and then sometimes he would try to get on his bicycle and fall and stuff, you know? >> reporter: once gonzalez senior was picked up, it seemed to open the floodgates.

his son, leonard patrick gonzalez jr. was arrested. junior appeared to be the ringleaderment and then five more suspects were picked up in quick succession including an air force sergeant and a 16-year-old, all are charged with two open counts of murder, none have yet made a plea. of the group, leonard patrick gone za gonzalez jr. was the best known around town. he ran a self-defense group called project fight back. en won a coveted civilian service award. >> here's who they have right now. >> reporter: reporter mike rush of wpmi-tv. >> he had a krunl record. he had spoken about his criminal record. and kind of touted the fact that because he had thought that way at one point and turned himself around that he really the guy to be teaching this sort of thing. >> miss katherine reported that the red van had been hanging around for a week or more. and sure enough, law enforcement

officials said the suspects had been getting together and training for the crime for weeks. this surveillance photo shows mr. gonzalez and two other suspects entering a walmart where they used material allegedly used in the murders. >> aside from doing training at laf different location, that they were casing the place for a while. a very disconcerting fact to the family when they found this out. >> reporter: two of the suspects have entered not guilty pleas. the other men and the minor are expected to enter pleas at upcoming arraignments. >> i asked if there is anything -- >> reporter: on july 14th, five days after the murders, the sheriff told ashley markhamm it appeared they caught all the suspects. >> it is my honor to tell you today, ashley, and your family that we vund to them and they're in custy. >> reporter: the sheriff said there could be more accomplices. and the very next day he announced another person of

interest. >> we would like your assistance in the community in locating this individual. >> reporter: pamela long wig gins, a realtor and local businesswoman. she was located on a yacht within 30 minutes she was charged as an accessory after the fact and out on bail. she entered a not guilty plea. turns out according to the sheriff, that others arrested in the killings rendezvoused that night a a property she owns in gulf breeze, florida, and at her home. oh, and it turns out authorities say the safe stolen from the billings' house contained nothing of any significant value was found buried in wiggins' backyard. officially, at least, the police were saying this is a simple home invasion robbery. but if that were the case, why were so many people involved for so little money and all those vulnerable children in the house? why all the training, the

preparation, the parent accomplices? how did these people even come together? was there a second undisclosed safe in the house with lots of money in it? or was this something else altogether, was this possibly a hit? the sheriff could knock down the spiralling speculations. he could, but he doesn't. not quite. what can you tell me about your suspects? >> there is a hodgepodge mix of people. day laborers, business owners, martiaartists, realtors. i mean pick one much it's almost like, you know, butcher, baker, and candle wick maker. that is the interesting side of the story. how did this desperate group of people coalesce into committing this crime? >> reporter: sure. must have been something behind it then? >> yes, sir. you bet. they agreed to be involved

together in the home invasion robbery. how about that? >> reporter: because they believed there was something of great value in that house? ch they couldn't take? >> that's one theory out there. >> reporter: or because the home invasion robbery was intended to cover up the rubbing out of somebody's enemy. >> that's a theory that's out there. >> reporter: can't you put any of them to rest, to bed? >> not at this time, sir. >> reporter: i'm using a common expression but it is covering your butt just in case one of the wild theories turns out to be true? >> no, sir. not in the least. i would tell the public and the media to stand by. you will not be disappointed. >> reporter: coming up, another twist brings another arrest. >> somebody is going to start doing some checking on that lady. >> reporter: and later, what does this man know? a new person of interest speaks only to "dateline." on healthy hair?

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but not the ever growing list of questions. the first from their daughter, ashley markhamm. >> i ask every day why our family -- i don't think i'll ever be able to explain it. and i may never know the answer. >> reporter: what investigators do allege is that a group of seven men took part in the attack. according to the sheriff, leonard patrick gone zald ez jr. fired the killing shots. the group allegedly took a safe which contained nothing of great value. the sheriff said it was found buried in the backyard of pamela wiggins. she is one more of the odd cast of characters, owns a building that houses an antique mall and a suspected big ammist. she is married to a man named wiggins but it turns out that this man, james maldin, pamela's

legal husband. she was arrested on bigamy charges. so you are current husband number one. and there is a current number two? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: there may be more? >> i could be. if she's done th and risk this being found out, there's no telling what she's done. somebody better start doing some checking on that lady. >> reporter: oh, somebody is checking all right. that would be the sheriff. mostly about crimes much bigger than bigamy. >> when we can tell it from beginning to end, it will be a head scratcher. >> the main question everybody is askingin the community is why? why would they target this family in such a concerted effort? why train 30 days in advance? why do all this just to steal a safe that authorities say had nothing in it? nobody buys that in a community. >> reporter: it's a charming

place in its way, pensacola, with it still agreed iron work, unique pedigree, oldest european settlement in the continental u.s. there is a sweetness about the place and the unaffected and friendly people. and then this evil thing. not a word that gets by lightly, evil. but that's what was. and out came this twisted puzzle, a mini headed snake is what the sheriff called it. you cut the head off and it sprouts two. and that's what's occurred througut this case. >> reporter: and throughout this case, area residence said, the heads of the snake seemed to sprout from the alliance of alleged killers but perhaps, at least, from the activities of victim bud billings. one of the first places inveigators looked was the billings' background, business associations, who might woont them dead? >> everybody is talking about it. everybody has a theory. >> reporter: at a pensacola gentleman's club, there's a sign

that pays tribute to the billings. it turns out two decades ago, bud was also part owner of the strip club. though the club and his connecton to the business are long gone. >> none ofthat in and of itself is illegal. but this has to be a concerted effort. everyone is figuring it has something to do with mr. billings' business interests. >> reporter: he had enemies? >> he may have had enemies. >> reporter: enemies, maybe. but ashley says her father was honest and fair man. nothing in his business was illegal or unsavory. in recent years, bud turned over the used car lots and financing company to ashley and her husband. >> the business dealings, everything is ligit. those accusations are just astonishing. they're doing something wrong kind of have knowledge of it. i believe everybody has a past. i have a past. i'm sure you have a past. >> reporter: in fact, bud billings did retire from day-to-day operations to care

for his big family. but investigative journalist rick outson, publisher of the "pensacola independent news" says bud kept a hand in auto sales. >> he actually made his money at this point over the last few years financing used car lots. he would finance the inventory, all the cars they had on the lot. >> reporter: he's been reporting for weeks that murders were a contract hit. and stem from bad blood in billings' used car finance deals. >> what we're seeing is there is a relationship that this hit is tied to people owing billings money and either not wanting to pay it anymore or unable to pay it anymore. >> reporter: could it be? here's the prosecutor in the case, state attorney bill edens. >> it's been my position this is a primarily home invasion robbery and that that was a

pri primary move. however, as indicated before, our office will review and examine and look at all the possibilities. >> reporter: ashley says her dad was a consultant to the business which she now runs. but maybe hidden somewhere in that stew of car lot financing numbers, outson and others believe, lies a clue, a name, perhaps, that may finally solve the puzzle behind the murder of these devoted parents. and sure enough, within an hour of the murders, one na has come up again and again, that of henry "cat" tis." does tice mean anything? >> it does. henry cab tise is a well known whole sail wholesaler and retailer of used cars. he bought a dealership from bud billings. we know that patrick gonzalez

jr., who's the alleged shooter of bud and melanie millings, worked for cab tise around '99, 2000. >> the connection ganz the suspicions and they grew. he was arrested thursday night, grand theft. named a person of interest in the billings' murders. and now he's talking to us. coming up, he found him? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: what will he reveal? >> i wish my family was not going through what they're going through right now. >> reporter: an exclusive conversation when "no safe place" continues.

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>> reporter: since the murders of bud and melanie billings, the questions haven't stopped. who the billings? why would they want them dead? soces close to the investigation have told "dateline" that on the night of the murders twlaz second safe in the billings' house and it contained large amounts of cash and the robbers may have taken the wrong safe. so was this a botched robbery attempt that turned into murder? sheriff david morgan hinted there would be more, much more to this investigation.

and he announced another person of interest. >> the sheriff's office inrviewed mr. henry cab tise in relation to the on going investigation to bud and melanie billings in their murder. >> reporter: henry cab tise. tise was a business associate of bud billings and a close friend, a father figure, to alleged shooter leonard patrick gonzalez jr. more than two weeks ago, we found cab tise a this used car dealership. he promised an interview and then suddenly skipped town. in an e-mail he wrote, my lawyer told me we would decide our course of action next week. but he adviced that i leave. i'll get in touch with you when i return. we hadn't heard back. but we traced tha e-mail to an internet connection in south america in colombia, to be specific. by then he was quickly becoming famous. the pensacola rumor circuit buzzed with whisper that's cab tise may have been involved. local blogs started using his name.

then local television. and then a wire service picked up the name and then even "newsweek" magazine. and then this past thursday, surprise, cab tise returned to pensacola of his own accord from colombia. he was arrested, questioned for three hours, charged with grand theft for allegedly writing $17,000 in bad checks to the billings' finance company. but then he was released on $5,000 bail. but a bigger surprise, he kept his promise to sit down with us for his first public comment about the murders. >> i haven't done anything. >> reporter: he didn't have to do. this but he volunteered to answer any and all questions to fight back. and then cab tise keeps coming up. that you're the guy who somehow is behind all of this. >> i think i'm -- it's guilt by association in that i knew bud billings well. and i knew pat gonzalez well. >> reporter: in fact, tise,

says, the last person he'd want to see dead is melanie billings. >> the first time i ever met melanie, i met mother teresa. she had the same spirit. she had everything. she was wonderful. i loved her. >> reporter: as for bud -- >> bud and i were friends for years until our business relationship fell apart and our friendship fell apart. >> reporter: the animosity between the two became well known. in fact, investigators sought out tise the very night of the murders and tise told them it must have been a robbery. >> bud told all of his associations that he had more cash than he could ever spend in a lifetime. it was well known in pensacola. >> reporter: he told you this? >> he told me, he told every business associate he had. >> reporter: where did he keep it? >> we all assumed when he built his 7500 square foot house he kept it there. and they went in to kill any witnesses that could testify against them or witness against them. >> reporter: tise says the trigg

triggerman also knew bud billings might have cash around because gonzalez asked bud for a $7,000 loan. >> for a martial arts studio. >> reporter: bud's daughter said no such loan occurred. >> ashley doesn't know because there wasn't a check written. it was a cash loan. ashley can't find it. >> reporter: the briefcase full of money which patrick would have known about also? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: how much money did he carry around? >> he normally carried around $20,000 cash in his briefcase. >> reporter: he had lots of money. in fact, he financed tise's used car lot b the business failed and he bounced checks to bud who xpla complained to the sheriff. you claim he was cheating the ira? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: ashley markhamm said she heard nothing about irs investigation into her father's fares. he said that his affairs with billings left him in such bad straits that he ended up

borrowing $20,000 from the mexican mafia and that led to speculation that mob was involved in billings' murder. do you believe the mexican mafia is involved? >> no, sir. they asked me if i thought he had dealings with the mexican maf yachlt bud billings would never borrow money from the mexican maf yachlt. >> reporter: then this relationship, that father-son relationship he had with leonard patrick gonzalez jr., he admits he cameo see him the very afternoon of the murders. he admits he phoned gonzalez about the time the murders were going down. >> yes, sir. a friend of mine -- >> reporter: do you see why that is suspicious? it's bizarre, isn't it? >> it's not bizarre when you reali realize i had no knowledge of what was occurring. >> reporter: in fact, says tise, he realizes when he tried to borrow a van from him before the murders, was he setting you up?

>> i think when he came to the lot he was trying to get a van from me to set me up. >> reporter: a setup? tise says gonzalez might have used the van to tie into the murder. was that plan? who knows? >> i would never be a part of anything that would be so horrible as this. i would never want bud billings killed. and i would never want melanie killed. and i would never want those ildren to experience and see what they experienced and saw that night. no, sir, i'm innocent of these charges. do you not think that i know the first person because we were estranged in business relationships. the first person the police are going to come is me. which they did that night. so i have no motive. i wish bud billings was alive today. i wish melanie was alive today. i wish i was not sitting here with you. i wish my family was not going

through what they're going through right now. >> reporter: did bud and melanie die in a murder for hire or a straight invasion robbery? whatever the answer, ashley markhamm knows what she must do to nine special needs children be the one and only for a lifetime, mother. good thing, says ashley, that her own mother is somehow still here. you talk about your mother being calm and reassuring. >> she's with me. i feel like she's there and telling me, you got to take care of the children. you have to be strong for them. >> there is more on the billings family and this case on the website. the address is dateline.msnbc.com.