On a Monday afternoon, March 29, 2021, a shopping trip to the Philadelphia Mills mall turned tragic for 21-year-old Dominic Billa. Billa, a young man known for his love of fashion, was in the mall's food court when a dispute escalated into a physical altercation. The fistfight quickly took a fatal turn when Gregory Smith, 23, pulled out a handgun and opened fire in the crowded space. Billa was struck twice in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The chaos sent shoppers scrambling for safety as the mall was placed on lockdown.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Billa was the stepson of a Philadelphia homicide detective. Surveillance footage from the mall played a crucial role in identifying the suspect. Investigators determined that Smith and another man had confronted Billa, with whom they had an ongoing dispute. Following the shooting, Smith and his acquaintance fled the scene on a SEPTA bus and went into hiding at a hotel in South Jersey. Within a month, authorities located and arrested Smith, charging him with murder and related offenses. At the time of the incident, Smith was reportedly out on bail for several other charges, including firearms violations.
Gregory Smith was ultimately convicted of third-degree murder, attempted murder, and possession of an instrument of a crime in March 2023. The man who was with Smith at the time of the shooting was acquitted of all charges. In June 2023, a judge sentenced Smith to 26 to 52 years in state prison for the killing of Dominic Billa. In addition to his prison sentence, Smith was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to Billa's family.
