If you were around in the early '90s, you couldn't escape it. The hair. The blue eye shadow. The sensational headlines about a high school "media coordinator" who allegedly seduced a 15-year-old student and talked him into killing her husband. Pamela Smart and Billy Flynn weren't just names in a police report; they became the blueprint for the modern true-crime obsession.
Before O.J. Simpson or the Menendez brothers, there was Pamela. It was the first trial to be broadcast gavel-to-gavel on national TV. People were obsessed. Honestly, it felt less like a court proceeding and more like a twisted soap opera. But for Gregg Smart, the 24-year-old husband left dead on a condo floor, the drama was tragically real.
For over 30 years, the narrative was frozen. Pamela Smart was the "ice queen" serving life without parole. Billy Flynn was the manipulated kid who pulled the trigger and eventually walked free. But in 2024, everything changed. Pamela did the one thing she swore she’d never do: she admitted she was responsible.
The Setup in Derry, New Hampshire
It started at Winnacunnet High School. Pamela was 22, ambitious, and frankly, bored. She worked in the media center. Billy Flynn was a 15-year-old sophomore who looked up to her. He was a kid. She was an adult. That’s the core of why this case still makes people’s skin crawl.
The prosecution’s story was simple but effective. They claimed Pamela didn't want a divorce because she didn't want to lose her furniture or the dog. Plus, she had a $140,000 life insurance policy. So, she allegedly told Billy that if he wanted to keep their "relationship" going, he had to take out Gregg.
Billy didn’t act alone. He brought three friends:
👉 See also: Who's the Next Pope: Why Most Predictions Are Basically Guesswork
- Patrick "Pete" Randall: He held the knife to Gregg’s throat.
- Vance "J.R." Lattime Jr.: He provided the gun and the car.
- Raymond Fowler: He waited in the car during the hit.
On May 1, 1990, Billy and Pete broke into the Smarts' condo. They made it look like a burglary gone wrong. When Gregg walked through the door, they forced him to his knees. Billy fired a single shot from a .38 caliber snub-nosed revolver into Gregg’s head.
The Evidence That "Sent Her to the Slammer"
Pamela almost got away with it. For months, she played the grieving widow. But she made one massive mistake. She talked too much to a teenage intern named Cecelia Pierce.
Cecelia eventually went to the police. They strapped a wire to her. In those tapes, Pamela sounds nothing like a victim. She famously told Cecelia, “If you tell the [expletive] truth, you’ll send me to the slammer for the rest of my [expletive] life.” That line basically sealed her fate.
The trial was a circus. The media painted her as a femme fatale, a real-life version of the character Nicole Kidman would later play in To Die For. The jury didn't take long to decide. In March 1991, they found her guilty of being an accomplice to first-degree murder, conspiracy, and witness tampering.
Where is Billy Flynn Now?
While Pamela was sent away for life, the boys got deals. They testified against her. Billy Flynn pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He spent nearly 25 years behind bars.
✨ Don't miss: Recent Obituaries in Charlottesville VA: What Most People Get Wrong
He was released on parole in June 2015—on his 41st birthday, ironically. Since then, he’s stayed mostly out of the spotlight. He got married while he was still in prison. He’s an electrician now. Basically, he’s living the life Pamela says she was robbed of.
You’ve gotta wonder what it’s like for him. He’s the one who pulled the trigger, yet he’s the one who gets to go to the grocery store or watch a sunset. He told the parole board he’d always be "haunted" by what he did. Whether you believe him or think he’s just good at playing the part is up for debate.
The 2024 Bombshell: Pamela’s Video Confession
For three decades, Pamela Smart was the poster child for "wrongful" conviction—at least according to her supporters. She earned two master's degrees and a PhD in divinity. She became an ordained minister. She mentored other inmates. But the New Hampshire Executive Council wouldn't even give her a hearing because she refused to admit guilt.
Then came June 2024.
In a videotaped statement from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, Pamela finally broke. She didn't admit to the specific "mastermind" plot, but she took "full responsibility" for Gregg's death. She said her "warped logic" and her affair with Billy were the catalyst for the murder.
🔗 Read more: Trump New Gun Laws: What Most People Get Wrong
"I had to acknowledge for the first time in my own mind and my own heart how responsible I was," she said in the video.
Critics say it was a calculated move. Her legal appeals are gone. This video was her "Hail Mary" for a sentence reduction. Is it true remorse, or just a woman who realized she's 56 years old and wants to die outside of a cage?
Why the Case Still Matters in 2026
We're still talking about this because it touches on every cultural nerve we have: gender, age, power, and the media. Was Pamela a victim of a "satanic panic" era media frenzy? Or was she a predator who used a child to do her dirty work?
New Hampshire officials aren't moving quickly. Governor Chris Sununu has been firm in the past, but the new video puts the state in a tough spot. If she's admitted her role, and the actual shooter has been free for over a decade, does "life without parole" still make sense?
Key Takeaways for True Crime Followers:
- Check the Tapes: If you really want to understand the case, listen to the Cecelia Pierce recordings. They are far more damning than any movie.
- Follow the Executive Council: In New Hampshire, the Governor doesn't act alone. The five-member Executive Council holds the keys to her cell.
- Compare the Sentences: This case is often cited by legal reformers as a prime example of sentencing disparity between "accomplices" and "triggermen."
The story of Pamela Smart and Billy Flynn isn't just a 90s relic. It's a living legal battle. Whether Pamela ever tastes freedom depends on whether the state believes her 2024 confession was a spiritual awakening or a final, desperate act of manipulation.
If you want to dig deeper, look for the documentary Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart. It offers a much more nuanced look at how the media circus might have actually influenced the jury's decision back in '91. You can also monitor the New Hampshire Executive Council's public meeting minutes to see if her petition for a commutation hearing finally gets added to the docket.