Inmate offered $9,000 for hit man to murder child victim, witnesses

NEW PORT RICHEY (FOX 13) - Deputies say an inmate who was serving time in the Pasco County jail for molesting a girl under 9-years-old was arrested again for trying to plan her murder.

Deputies say on August 22, Billy Pearce approached another inmate about killing his victim and the four witnesses who testified against him: Her mother, father, sister, and uncle.

The other inmate was allegedly selected by Pearce because he was a neo-Nazi. But that inmate spoke to detectives, who recorded conversations and got ahold of the $9,000 contract signed by Pearce.

"There are no rights of privacy within the jail," said Sheriff Chris Nocco. "We hear conversations, we know what's going on, we track information."

Detectives write that Pearce explained in great detail the family home, their routines, and the easiest ways in: including through a garage and dog door.

"You don't want him in society," said Nocco. "Most criminals, there is a code, they don't like child molesters."

Those details are all-too-familiar to advocate for child abuse victims Kristin Mauro of Redefining Refuge.

"That's what paralyzes them, in order to not disclose, they are so afraid that someone who knows so much about them can use that," Mauro said.

She has worked with over a hundred victims of sexual abuse in Florida and says as in this case, kids are often hurt by those who know them well.

She and the sheriff both say this is an example of how, once the suspect is captured, the pain for child victims is often just beginning.

"We have wonderful advocates in the Tampa Bay area, that can stand right beside them and collaborate in order to ensure that these kids don't have to go through something like this and worry for their safety and the safety of their family."

Detectives write that when they told the suspect he was under arrest for solicitation to commit murder, he said: "but I haven't paid him any money yet."