Suvechha Sarkar
ABC’s ’20/20: Broken Vows’ revisits the heartbreaking homicide of 24-year-old Greggory/Gregory William Smart, lovingly known as Gregg, who was killed inside his residence in Derry, New Hampshire, in May 1990. Although it appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, that changed when further investigation revealed a murder plot. In addition to featuring detailed interviews with law enforcement officials involved in the case, the episode explores the media attention surrounding the trial.
Gregg Smart Met His Untimely Demise From a Gunshot Wound to the Head
On September 4, 1965, Greggory William Smart, affectionately known as Gregg, arrived as a blessing in the lives of Judith Ann and William Jay Smart. While growing up, their loving household was filled with the laughter of him and his brothers, Ricky and Dean Smart. Gregg had an outgoing personality and always wore a smile. After graduating from Londonderry High School in 1983, he continued his studies at Metropolitan Career Success School. In 1989, he notably qualified for the Leaders Conference. Around 1988, he settled in Derry, New Hampshire, where he began his career at Metropolitan Insurance Co. as a Sales Representative.
Gregg expected he had met his soulmate when he crossed paths with Pamela A. Wojas during Christmas break, while she was visiting home from university. Shortly after they bonded over their shared love for rock music, he briefly moved to Florida to be closer to her. On May 7, 1989, the couple tied the knot, surrounded by their loved ones, and relocated to a condominium on Misty Morning Drive in Derry. Shortly after 10 pm on May 1, 1990, Pamela returned home from work and discovered Gregg lying face down near the entrance of their home. She frantically asked for help from the neighbors, who then called 911. When officials arrived, they sadly declared the 24-year-old dead.
Upon inspecting the scene, experts noted that Gregg had suffered a gunshot to the head. They discovered that the family dog was locked downstairs, and that the house appeared to have been ransacked, with open drawers. Although authorities found the stereo speakers out of place, raising suspicions of a burglary, Gregg’s wallet and gold wedding band remained intact. Additionally, only a few pieces of jewelry were missing, and there were no signs of forced entry, suggesting the scene might have been staged to appear like a burglary. The autopsy report determined his cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the head and revealed that he was shot with a .38-caliber gun.
Wiretapped Conversations and a Gun Unraveled a Chilling Murder Plot
Investigators initially followed several leads, but each led to a dead end. A breakthrough came on June 10, 1990, when a man, Vance Lattime Sr., brought a .38-caliber weapon to the police station and revealed that a teenager named Ralph Welch had indicated that it might be the murder weapon. Reports state that when the gun was examined, it was linked to the homicide. When Ralph was questioned, he provided information about three teenagers: Patrick “Pete” Allen Randall, William “Billy” Flynn, and Vance Lattime Jr. In his statements, Ralph told officials that he had overheard that Pete and Billy had committed the murder while Vance waited for both of them in the getaway car as the driver.
As detectives dug deeper, they discovered that Pete, Billy, and Vance attended the same school where Pamela was working. Moreover, she had worked with Billy to create a commercial for a contest. Police records state that during further interrogation, Ralph disclosed that Billy was actually the one to pull the trigger, and Pamela had promised to give the three teenage boys $500 each from the insurance proceeds. Detectives also discovered that another boy, Raymond Fowler, also remained in the car that night. An anonymous tip further uncovered that a teenager named Cecilia/Cecelia Pierce had information about the murder. Reports indicate that when she was questioned, she revealed that Pamela was having an affair with 16-year-old Billy.
In her statements, Cecilia claimed to have heard Pamela and Billy talking about the murder plan and that Pamela was the mastermind. On June 11, 1990, Billy, Pete, and Vance were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. According to court records, Cecilia then spoke with Pamela while secretly wearing a wire for the police. During the recorded conversation, Gregg’s wife asked her to lie to the detectives about knowing anything regarding the murder. On August 1, 1990, Pamela was taken into custody and charged with being an accomplice to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and witness tampering. In January 1991, Raymond was arrested for attempted murder, conspiracy, and falsifying evidence for an earlier, unsuccessful attempt to kill Gregg.
Pamela Smart is Serving Her Sentence at a New York State Prison Today
Pete, Vance, and Billy later entered into plea agreements in exchange for lesser sentences and their testimony against Pamela. On January 28, 1991, Billy and Pete pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, while Vance pleaded guilty to being an accomplice to second-degree murder. Billy was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison, and Pete received a 40-year-to-life term, with 12 years suspended. Vance was eventually sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. By May 1991, Raymond faced an additional charge of accomplice to first-degree murder. He later entered a plea deal by pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and attempted burglary. He was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.
During a statement to the prosecution, Vance said that Pamela had once mentioned that if she and Gregg divorced, she wouldn’t get anything. In his statements, he alleged that she had instructed the teenagers to make the crime scene look like a robbery, per the records. Pamela’s jury trial began on March 4, 1991, during which the prosecution called several witnesses, including Billy, Pete, and Vance. During his testimony, Billy admitted to having a relationship with the defendant and went on to say that she had once told him that she could only be together with him if Gregg wasn’t alive anymore. Pete testified that on that fateful night, he held a knife to the 24-year-old’s throat before Billy shot Gregg.
The prosecution alleged that Pamela had manipulated the teenagers to commit the crime. Although the defense admitted that she had an affair with Billy, they insisted that she had no involvement in the conspiracy. On March 22, 1991, she was convicted of all charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Pamela had subsequently appealed her judgment multiple times, but those were either denied or the court reaffirmed her sentence. In June 2024, she accepted full responsibility for Gregg’s death. In January 2026, she filed a new petition to overturn her conviction and obtain a new trial. A hearing for the same was held in July 2026, but no judgment has been issued yet. Currently, Pamela is incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County, New York.
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