William Pittman Jr., 16, pleaded guilty in connection to the fatal shooting of Davon Smallwood, 20.
Pittman appeared before Judge Jeannie J. Hong, on Nov. 9 with defense attorneys Brian Levy and Sara Short.
He faced multiple charges, including first degree murder, armed robbery, assault, firearm use during a felony, and conspiracy-releated offenses.
According to charging documents, police responded to the 1900 block of Harman Avenue on Dec. 10, 2025, following reports of a shooting and found Smallwood with a gunshot wound to the head.
Surveillance footage allegedly showed three individuals approaching Smallwood while he was seated in a vehicle. Investigators say the victim was forcibly removed, beaten, and shot before the suspects fled.
Authorities identified Pittman and codefendants Devin Shadle, 23, and Bernard Brown, 52, as suspects.
Investigators used surveillance footage, witness statements, phone communications, and cellphone location data as evidence to connect the defendants to the incident.
Under the agreement, Pittman agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder for life suspending all but 25 years and firearm use in the commission of a felony, 20 years served concurrently, and five years of supervised probation following his release.
Additionally, following his release he will register as a gun offender and Judge Hong, waived his supervision fees as he will not be employed.
Smallwood’s parents addressed the court, describing the devastating impact of losing their son and the future he would never experience.
His mother expressed that although she agreed to the plea, she did not believe it was fair.
She emphasized that her son would never reach his twenty-first birthday and while Pittman’s family could still be with him, she would only be able to see the remains of her once vibrant son in a box.
Smallwood’s stepfather also spoke, questioning how any money from a robbery could be worth a young man’s life.
When given the opportunity to address the court, Pittman offered a brief apology, stating, “I’m sorry.”
The case against co-defendant Shadle will go to trial on Dec. 4. The State’s Attorney didn’t provide an update on the Brown matter.
