In the winter of 2024, the life of 51-year-old Floyd 'Buddy' E. Wilson was tragically cut short on the streets of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. On the evening of December 6th, Wilson was sitting in his wheelchair near a local market when a black SUV passed by multiple times. The vehicle eventually stopped, and an argument erupted between Wilson and a passenger inside. The dispute escalated, and suddenly, the sound of gunfire pierced the night air.
Wilson was struck by multiple bullets in his legs and back. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries an hour later.
The investigation into the shooting led Allegheny County Police to scrutinize surveillance footage from the area. A black SUV with distinctive features was identified as the vehicle involved. Using this footage and license-plate readers, authorities tracked the SUV to 44-year-old Thomas Laron Smith of Stowe. When police executed a search warrant, they discovered a stolen 9mm pistol in the vehicle's glove box. Forensic testing would later confirm this was the weapon used in the shooting, and gunshot residue was also found inside the SUV.
During questioning, Smith admitted to being the driver of the SUV and to shooting Wilson. He claimed that his passenger, who has not been publicly named, was arguing with Wilson. Smith stated that he had sold drugs to Wilson in the past and that when Wilson began to stand up from his wheelchair, he opened fire from the driver's seat. He also admitted that he did not believe Wilson was armed at the time of the incident.
Thomas Laron Smith was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, receiving stolen property, and two firearms counts. Due to a prior aggravated assault conviction, Smith was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. He was held in the Allegheny County Jail without bail. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for April of the following year. Smith also had other pending legal issues, including separate drug-related charges from earlier in 2024.
