Trial begins for Homewood man accused in 2017 Swissvale homicide
The trial of a 21-year-old Homewood man accused in the 2017 shooting death of a Swissvale teen in a drug deal gone bad started Tuesday.
Investigators allege that William Henry Smoot, 21, shot and killed Vallen Davies-Mack, on May 18, 2017, at Collingswood playground in Swissvale.
Smoot and two other people were in Wilkinsburg smoking marijuana, and Smoot told them he wanted to buy more, according to police. One of the other people arranged for a deal between Smoot and Davies-Mack at the playground, which is at Denniston and Collingswood streets, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case.
A witness told police that Smoot pulled a gun on Davies-Mack when he arrived at the playground, the person who arranged the deal ran away and heard gunshots, according to the criminal complaint.
Smoot was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Dec. 6, 2017, in the Hill District and was charged with homicide, robbery, reckless endangerment and firearms violations.
Tom Davidson is a TribLive news editor. He has been a journalist in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. He can be reached at tdavidson@triblive.com.
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