In the early evening of January 26, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of a Tuesday in Commerce, Georgia, leaving one man dead and his brother wounded. William 'Billy' Lee Smith, a 49-year-old male, was with his brother, Phillip Smith, when tragedy struck. The two men were walking into the Dollar General store located at 45 B. Wilson Road at approximately 7:35 p.m. when an unknown assailant opened fire on them.
Both brothers were struck by the gunfire and were rushed to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment of their injuries. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Billy Lee Smith succumbed to his wounds and passed away.
The Commerce Police Department, finding themselves with a homicide on their hands, quickly sought the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to aid in the search for the person responsible for this senseless act. Investigators began to piece together the events of that evening, and their attention soon turned to a figure captured on the store's surveillance footage. The GBI later released images and a description of a possible suspect, described as a light-skinned male, standing about five feet, ten inches tall with dark-colored hair. It is believed that this individual fled the scene of the shooting in a small, dark-colored SUV.
As the investigation continued, the GBI and the Commerce Police Department have continued to seek the public's assistance in identifying the individual seen in the surveillance video. In late 2023, nearly three years after the fatal shooting, the GBI once again appealed to the community for any information that might lead to an arrest, a clear indication that the case remains an active and unsolved homicide. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly released, and the perpetrator who took the life of Billy Lee Smith remains at large. Law enforcement has continued to urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward as they persist in their efforts to bring justice to the Smith family.
