Suvechha Sarkar
In May 1990, the homicide of 24-year-old Greggory/Gregory William Smart, also known as Gregg, sent shockwaves through the community of Derry, New Hampshire. The episode titled ‘Broken Vows’ of ABC’s ’20/20′ sheds light on the details of the case, which unraveled a murder conspiracy by his wife, Pamela Smart, and four teenagers, William “Billy” Flynn, Patrick “Pete” Allen Randall, Vance “J.R.” Lattime Jr., and Raymond Fowler. Additionally, the episode features an in-depth interview with Pamela and with some of the officials involved in the case.
Billy Flynn, Pete Randall, and Vance Lattime Jr. Attended the Same School at the Time of Gregg’s Murder
Elaine Flynn and her partner gave birth to William “Billy” Flynn in 1974. He spent his early years alongside his brothers in California before the family faced a tragedy when their father suddenly passed away in an accident. Following that, the family moved to Seabrook, New Hampshire, where, by the spring of 1990, he was a sophomore at Winnacunnet High School. There, he became interested in heavy metal music and guitar. He also formed close friendships with Vance “J.R.” Lattime Jr. and Patrick “Pete” Allen Randall, who attended the same school. The friend group included another teenager named Raymond Fowler. They came into the spotlight during the investigation of the homicide of Greggory “Gregg” William Smart that occurred on May 1, 1990.
The case’s investigation stalled for more than a month before Vance’s father, Vance Lattime Sr., brought in a .38-caliber gun to the station on June 10, 1990, and informed officials that his son’s friend, Ralph Welch, had indicated that the gun was used in Gregg’s murder. Ballistic experts later linked the gun to the homicide. Investigative reports state that when Ralph was questioned, he told officials that he had overheard Billy, Pete, and Vance speaking about the murder plan. In his statements, Ralph revealed that he had learned that Billy and Pete had gone into Gregg’s home to commit the murder while Vance waited inside the car as a getaway driver.
Ralph alleged that Gregg’s wife, Pamela Smart, had offered to pay Billy, Pete, and Vance $500 each from her husband’s insurance money to commit the murder. Detectives soon learned that Pamela worked at the same school where Billy, Pete, and Vance studied. She had also worked on a program, Project Self-Esteem, in which Billy also participated. Reports state that they further identified a fourth suspect, Raymond, who was present inside the car when the crime happened. The investigation took another turn when a tip led officials to Pamela’s intern, Cecilia/Cecelia Pierce, who informed authorities that Gregg’s wife was having an affair with Billy.
Officials Arrested Pamela Smart After Witness Statements Linked Her to the Murder
On June 11, 1990, Billy, Vance, and Pete were taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Shortly after, investigators discovered that Gregg’s insurance payout was approximately $140,000, suggesting a possible motive. According to court records, when Cecilia was questioned, she admitted to hearing Billy and Pamela’s conversation about killing Gregg. On July 12, 1990, Cecilia agreed to secretly wear a wire under police surveillance and speak to Pamela in her office.
In the recorded conversation, Pamela repeatedly asked Cecilia not to tell the police about any information regarding the murder. Pamela was finally arrested on August 1, 1990, and charged with being an accomplice to first-degree murder, witness tampering, and conspiracy to commit murder. Eventually, authorities connected Raymond to a much earlier and unsuccessful attempt to kill Gregg, as per reports. Raymond was taken into custody in January 1991 and faced the charges of conspiracy, attempted murder, and falsifying evidence for the previous murder attempt.
In May 1991, a grand jury indicted Raymond on the charge of accomplice to first-degree murder regarding Gregg’s homicide. The teenagers initially refused to speak to officials, but they gradually agreed to testify against Pamela in exchange for reduced sentences. As per official records, Vance told the authorities that Pamela had told him, Billy, and Pete that she wouldn’t receive anything if she and Gregg divorced. In his statements, Vance alleged that Pamela instructed them to stage the crime scene like a robbery.
Billy, Pete, Vance, and Raymond Are Likely Leading a Quiet Life After Being Released on Parole
On January 28, 1991, Billy, Pete, and Vance entered a plea agreement with the prosecution. While both Billy and Pete pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, Vance pleaded guilty to being an accomplice to second-degree murder. In August 1992, Billy was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison, and as a part of the agreement, he admitted to being the triggerman in Gregg’s murder. While Pete received a 40-year-to-life sentence with 12 years suspended, Vance was sentenced to 18 years-to-life in prison in that same month. Eventually, Raymond also avoided a trial when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and attempted burglary. He was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison.
The jury trial of Pamela commenced on March 4, 1991. During the trial, Billy and Pete both testified and admitted that while Billy was the triggerman, Pete held a knife to Gregg’s throat. On March 22, she was found guilty of all the charges against her and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In 2004, Raymond was released from prison on parole but was again taken into custody for violating parole. He was then released on parole on June 14, 2005. In February 2005, Vance’s sentence was reduced by 3 years, and he was paroled in that same year. Billy was also granted parole and released from prison on June 4, 2015.
Similarly, on June 4, 2015, Pete was released from prison on parole. In June 2024, Pamela reportedly acknowledged her responsibility for Gregg’s homicide and, by January 2026, filed a petition to overturn her sentencing and seek a new trial. Despite a hearing on the petition on July 20, 2026, no public reports indicate that the court has passed any judgment on the matter. As of writing, Billy and Raymond are likely maintaining a low profile. On the other hand, prison records show that both Pete and Vance are on supervised release and appear to be leading a quiet life. Pamela is currently serving her sentence at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County, New York.
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