My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: Billy Schmidt's Suspected Murderers Arrested

The South Philly Review ran my Crime Beat column today regarding the suspected murderers of Billy Schidmt being arrested.

You can read the column via the page above (and click on the page to enlarge) or you can read the text below: 

On July 6^th, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO) issued a statement regarding the arrests of Kaiseem Smith and Azzubair Outen-Fleming, the two suspected murderers of a 22-year-old Penn State student in South Philadelphia.

“On Thursday, a Philadelphia Police Officer assigned to the DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force coordinated the safe surrender of Defendant Kaiseem Smith (DOB 12/27/2009) for his alleged role in the robbery and homicide of William (Billy) J. Schmidt,” the statement read.

“The surrender as well as the apprehension of a fugitive co-defendant in Colorado Springs occurred within a day of the DAO’s press conference seeking public help in apprehending both defendants. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office will seek justice for the family of William (Billy) J. Schmidt and all others involved.”

The DAO also stated that the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Smith and Outen-Fleming are suspected of murdering Billy Schmidt after robbing him of his cell phone. The murder has outraged South Philadelphia residents and beyond due to the senseless violence that took the life of a promising and popular young man in a relatively safe neighborhood in South Philly. A well-attended vigil was held where Billy Schmidt lived and died, and Facebook and other social media have been inundated with critical comments about street crime and injustice.   

In a news conference prior to the arrests of the suspects, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Smith and Outen-Fleming, both 16, are expected to be charged with murder, gun offenses and other charges, and they will probably be tried as adults.

Krasner also noted that another man, Donte Abdulmalik, 35, is Outen-Fleming's stepfather, and he is in custody and charged with hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence in connection with this case. Abdulmalik helped Outen-Fleming leave the area, according to the DA's office He was also wanted for violating either parole or probation, Krasner added.

Krasner also stated that the investigation so far indicates that Smith was the shooter.                        

According to the District Attorney’s Office, on Saturday, June 6, 2026, after 1 a.m., Philadelphia Police Officers responded to a call to the 1900 block of Durfor Street regarding a person with a gun. When the officers arrived at the scene, they located victim Billy Schmidt with a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Schmidt was transferred to Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center where he was pronounced.

“During the course of the investigation, video surveillance footage from numerous sources depicted Defendants Kaiseem Smith and Azzubair Outen-Fleming driving in South Philadelphia around Porter and 21st street before parking around 1 a.m. The defendants are seen leaving the vehicle and walking towards Jackson Street. Around 1:30 a.m., surveillance footage shows Schmidt walking on the sidewalk on 20th Street and standing on the corner. The defendants walk towards Schmidt before Azzubair Outen-Fleming appears to grab Schmidt’s phone and then punches him. Outen-Fleming then proceeds to go through Schmidt’s pockets. Both suspects appear to force Schmidt onto the sidewalk and knock him onto the ground. As both defendants walk away, Kaiseem Smith is observed with a gun is his hand.”

The DAO stated that video surveillance shows Schmidt walking behind the defendants. Azzubair Outen-Fleming is observed throwing Schmidt’s phone down the block, then runs in that direction. Shortly after, surveillance footage shows Kaiseem Smith rounding the corner of 20th and Durfor Street. Schmidt is seen running behind Smith when Smith reaches into his back pocket, pulls out a gun and fires a fatal shot into Schmidt’s chest. Footage shows the defendants walking away from the scene before entering an SUV and driving east on Porter Street.

Investigators identified Kaiseem Smith and Azzubair Outen-Fleming as suspects in the homicide and determined that Donte Abdulmalik assisted in the transportation of Azzubair Outen-Fleming out of the jurisdiction.

“Our office has been collaborating closely with the Philadelphia Police Department on the investigation since this murder took place,” said District Attorney Krasner. 

The violence that took Billy Schmidt’s life cannot be undone, but perhaps justice for his murder will be done.

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here weekly. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com. 

Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival

Philly Daily, where my On Crime column appears each week, reports that the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival appears in Franklin Square for its 10th year, illuminating the city with over 1,100 new lantern creations and a summer of cultural celebration. The event runs until August 16^th. 

“The festival will run nightly at Franklin Square Park, 6th & Race Streets, Philadelphia. It is presented by Tianyu Arts & Culture and sponsored by local partners, with proceeds benefiting Historic Philadelphia, Inc. to support free events at Franklin Square,” the event planners announced.

 

You can read the rest of the piece via the link below:

 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival 2026 – Philly Daily

Rise And Fall Of ‘The Westies,’ New York’s Last Irish gang, As New TV Series Charts Their Murders And Shakedowns

I watched the first episode of The Westies on MGM +.  

The TV series is a fictional retelling of the Irish American New York City street gang. Although I would have preferred to watch a series closer to the true history (which is dramatic enough, I would think) the series was interesting and I liked two of the lead actors, J.K. Simmons and Titus Welliver. 

Michael Kaplan at the New York Post offers a piece on the new series. 

Thousands of families visit the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center every year for events like the Westminster dog show, Comic Con and International Auto Show.

Very few of them realize the blood spilled, extortion extracted and dead bodies connected with the exhibition space, as it rose from the ashes of former rail-yards to host such jazzy gatherings.

These days, the Javits Center is the spot for glitzy conventions and gatherings.  

During construction between 1979 through 1986 and in the early years of operation, the burgeoning Center on the very West end of 34^th Street was a cash cow for New York’s criminal elite.

It also limned the rise and fall of a violent Hell’s Kitchen-based Irish gang, the Westies. Those gangsters and the Javits Center play key roles in a new scripted crime series,

“The Westies felt like they owned the neighborhood where the Javits Center was,” series co-creator Chris Brancato, who specializes in historically inspired crime dramas, told The Post. 

“Cops were on the pad [payroll] and the Westies felt a sense of freedom to do what they wanted, whether it was legal or not,” such as bookmaking, loan sharking, drug dealing and contract killings. 

Underhand opportunities abounded at the New York City signature construction project of the ‘80s, which required the use of workers from a wide swath of unions, who already had mobsters rifling their coffers. "Everyone understood  that the Javits Center was going to be an unprecedented bounty of criminal rackets," T. J. English, author of the definitive book on the gang, "The Westies" (not part of the series, which is more a "historical fiction," according to Brancato) told the Post. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the link below: 

Rise and fall of 'The Westies,' New York's last Irish gang, as new series charts their murders and shakedowns

'Jurassic Park’ Star Sam Neill Dead At 78 After Cancer Recovery

The New York Post reports that actor Sam Neill has died.

Sam Neill, the star of the 1993 blockbuster “Jurassic Park,” died at 78 on Monday, his family announced. 

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the late actor’s loved ones wrote via Instagram. 

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the statement continued. “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”

You can read the rest of the piece via the link below:

'Jurassic Park' star Sam Neill dead at 78

Although Neill was best known for Jurassic Park, his best role, in my view, was as Sidney Reilly, a real-life spy, in the PBS series Reilly: Ace of Spies. 

I plan to rewatch the series. 

‘Reilly: Ace of Spies’- A Review | HistoryAccess.com

Reilly Ace of Spies | PBS 

1963 James Bond Classic Film 'From Russia With Love' Ranked Among The Franchise’s Best — And It Holds A Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

I loved Dr. No when I saw the film as a pr-teen in the early 1960s, but I truly became an Ian Fleming (seen in the photo below) aficionado when I read all of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels after seeing the film From Russia With Love. 

In my view, From Russia With Love is the best Bond novel as well as the best Bond film. And Sean Connery remains the best James Bond.

Director Terence Young was mostly faithful to Ian Fleming's novel, save from changing the villains from the Soviets to the international criminal organization SPECTRE, which Ian Fleming created in a later novel, Thunderball. (The plot made more sense with the Soviets as the bad guys).

In addition to Sean Connery as Bond, Terence Young casts some fine actors to portray Ian Fleming's great characters. The inspired casting included Robert Shaw, who was truly menacing as Grant the assassin, as well as Pedro Armendariz, who portrayed Darko Kerim, the British head of Section T. (In the film Kerim is call “Kerim Bey.” Bey is an honorarium, like the Japanese “San”). 

Also outstanding were the villains Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb and Vladek Sheybal as Kronsten.   

The film has so many iconic scenes from the girl fight at the gypsy camp to the shooting of Krilencu as he tried to escape from a huge film poster. And I believe the fight aboard the train with Bond and Grant is the best fight scene on film. 

I love the film and I’ve seen it many times over the years. To me, it is the greatest Bond film.

Apparently, many others agree.    

Rachel Schieider at Men’s Journal offers her take on the great film thriller.             

James Bond introduced himself to audiences in Dr. No, but it was his second outing that convinced many moviegoers the franchise was here to stay.

Released in 1963, From Russia with Love remains one of the most acclaimed entries in the 007 series.

 

More than 60 years later, it still boasts one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores of any James Bond movie ever made.

 

Starring Sean Connery in his second appearance as the legendary British spy, From Russia with Love sends Bond to Istanbul to retrieve a Soviet decoding device before it falls into the wrong hands. 

Along the way, he finds himself caught in an elaborate trap orchestrated by the criminal organization SPECTRE, leading to one of the franchise’s most suspenseful adventures. 

Unlike many later Bond films that leaned heavily into gadgets and over-the-top spectacle, From Russia with Love is often praised for its grounded espionage story and Cold War atmosphere.

You can read the rest of the piece via the link below:

1963 James Bond Classic Ranked Among the Franchise's Best — And It Holds a Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score - Men's Journal

  

Former National Basketball Association Players, Current Player Agent, And Three Other Individuals Charged in Sports Bribery, Illegal Betting And Money Laundering Conspiracies

 On June 29^th the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of New York released the information below:

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging six defendants — former National Basketball Association (NBA) players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, and co-conspirators William Brown, Robert Gorodetsky, Ernesto Plascencia, and current NBA player agent Paolo Zamorano—with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy for their alleged roles in a scheme to bribe Beasley to manipulate his performance in NBA games and use inside information about Beasley’s intended performance to profit via illegal betting activity.  Several of the defendants were arrested today at locations across the country and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests and indictment.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate sportsbooks,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Bribery and insider betting schemes like this one involving former NBA players and a current NBA player agent who exploited inside NBA information for profit erode the integrity of American sports and victimize the sports-watching public.  Our Office will continue in its strong tradition of holding accountable anyone who seeks to corrupt sports through illegal means.”  

Mr. Nocella thanked the FBI Field Offices in Charlotte, North Carolina; Los Angeles, California; Omaha, Nebraska; Chicago, Illinois; and Las Vegas, Nevada, for their valuable assistance.

“These defendants allegedly operated an illegal betting ring in an attempt to unlawfully earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. As alleged, Malik Beasley allowed himself to be bought and altered his gametime performance to line pockets of Ed Davis and his other co-conspirators. The FBI continues to dismantle fraudulent schemes that erode the integrity of any institution, including our nation's professional sports leagues,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

As alleged, Beasley, then a player for the Milwaukee Bucks, agreed with his former NBA teammate Davis (known to the other co-defendants as Beasley’s “gatekeeper”) in advance of NBA games that Beasley would underperform, and at times overperform, relative to one or more of his betting statistics in those games.  Davis, Brown, Gorodetsky, Plascencia, Zamorano and other co-conspirators subsequently used this non-public information relating to Beasley’s intended performance to place fraudulent wagers conditioned on Beasley’s performance in the games at issue, all with the intention of profiting off the scheme.  As further alleged, in return for performance fixing, Beasley received bribes from the co-conspirators, typically by having Beasley’s gambling debts to Davis reduced or paid off. 

Examples of some of the influenced games are described below.

January 26, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 26, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that he intended to underperform with respect to rebounding in the game.  Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information.  Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers. Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers. Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.

February 27, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Charlotte Hornets Game

As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 27, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that Beasley intended to underperform with respect to points and overperform with respect to rebounding in the game.  Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information.  Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers.  Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers.  Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.

March 10, 2024 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Los Angeles Clippers

As alleged, prior to the Bucks game against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 10, 2024, Beasley informed Davis that Beasley intended to overperform with respect to rebounding in the game.  Beasley provided this information to Davis to obtain a promised bribe payment and for the purpose of enabling Davis and other co-conspirators to place wagers based on this non-public information.  Davis subsequently disseminated the non-public information regarding Beasley to multiple co-conspirators, including Gorodetskty, Plascencia and Zamorano, to enable them to place fraudulent wagers. Plascencia then provided this same non-public information to Brown to enable him to place fraudulent wagers. Many of the fraudulent wagers were successful.

In total, the defendants and their co-conspirators placed fraudulent wagers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars conditioned on Beasley’s fixed performance in the influenced games at issue via multiple betting operators.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy counts, 20 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count and five years’ imprisonment on the bribery in sporting contests count.  

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kaitlin T. Farrell, Benjamin Weintraub and David I. Berman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Erika Ellis; former Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett previously worked on the case.

The Defendants:

MALIK BEASLEY (also known as “Beas,” “Bease,” “MB” and “5”)
Age: 29
Georgia

WILLIAM BROWN (also known as “Willo”)
Age: 39
Nebraska

EDWARD DAVIS (also known as “as “Ed,” “ED” and “E Davis”)
Age: 37
North Carolina

ROBERT GORODETSKY (also known as “Rob”)
Age: 34
Illinois

ERNESTO PLASCENCIA (also known as “Ernie,” “Erny,” “Ernie P” and “Erny P”)
Age: 39
California 

PAOLO ZAMORANO (also known as “PZ”)
Age: 39
California 

My Crime Fiction: 'Tony Ball-Peen'

 The story below is another chapter in my crime novel in progress. 

You can read the first chapter and link to subsequent posted chapters via the link below: 

Paul Davis On Crime: My Crime Fiction: 'The Rigano Murders'

The below story originally appeared in American Crime Magazine.

 Tony Ball-Peen

By Paul Davis

I was meeting Salvatore Stillitano, once known as “Salvie Shotgun,” each week as I was interviewing him for a book about his life in organized crime.

He agreed with my idea of serializing the book in my crime column in the local paper prior to compiling the columns into a book. 

The former Philadelphia Cosa Nostra organized crime family caporegime, or captain, and the son of the legendary mobster Nunzio “Nick the Broker,” became a government witness after the FBI played him a wiretap recording of Cosa Nostra bosses ordering his murder. 

He testified against his fellow mob bosses and then went into the Witness Protection Program in the 1980s. Now, having returned to South Philadelphia, he was unafraid of mob retaliation, and he wanted to tell his life story. 

He previously spoke of Anthony “Tony Ball-Peen” Gina, his late father’s criminal underling. For this interview session, Stillitano wanted to talk more about Gina. 

Although young Anthony Gina was short and thin as a teenager in South Philadelphia in the 1950s, no one dared pick on him.

Even as a teenager, Gina was dangerous. He was violent and unafraid to brandish a weapon, any weapon, and use it on anyone he thought was disrespectful or threatening.

Gina’s father, Ralph, was a knockaround guy, thief and a bruiser for a South Philly Cosa Nostra criminal crew.

Ralph Gina saw his bad tempered and violent son heading to prison unless the father could harness that anger and violence. He approached a boxing trainer he knew, and the trainer agreed to take the little miscreant and train him to become a prize fighter.

Gina trained hard, stayed out of trouble, and became a fine amateur boxer before turning pro. As a professional welterweight, Gina racked up an impressive number of wins, often by knock out, but he was also amendable to losing a bout if his father said the mob gamblers wanted him to do so.

One of the mob gamblers was Nunzio “Nick the Broker” Stillitano. Stillitano was a Cosa Nostra soldier and a rising fight promoter. He began to promote all of Gina’s bouts. Stillitano became fast friends with Gina as he got a kick out of the loud and outrageous fighter, although their personalities were diametrically opposed.

Stillitano took Gina under his wing and used him for rough stuff when it was occasionally called for. Gina retired from boxing and became an associate member and part of Stillitano’s crew. In the mid-1960s, Stillitano proposed Gina to become a made member of Cosa Nostra and assigned him to murder a boxing manager who cheated Stillitano out of some serious money.

Gina, known in the ring as “Tony Ball-Peen” as he hit with both hands like a ball-peen hammer. A ball-peen hammer, also called a machinist's hammer, is used as a peening hammer in metalworking. The hammer has two heads, one is flat and the other, called the peen, is rounded.

Gina used a real ball-peen hammer to beat the manager to death.

The brutal murder sent a message to people around Nick Stillitano that the mob fight promoter was not a man who would be cheated.

Gina was made a Cosa Nostra member and became Stillitano’s number two.

In the late 1960s, Gina and Dominic “Dom D” DeMarco, a big and fat former heavyweight boxer, entered a small bar in South Philly.

The bar was a front for a lucrative bookmaking and loansharking operation. The bookmaker, Joseph “Joe Bar” Barbieri, a tall and gangly 50-year-old mob associate, stood up from a table. Without a word or warning, Gina punched him in the face and the illegal gambler dropped to the floor.

DeMarco then delivered a devastating right cross to John “Butch” Monti, a big and muscular collector for Barbieri, and he too fell to the floor.

Gina announced to the group of gamblers in the bar that he was taking over the “book.”

“Any objections?”

No one objected.

 

Barbieri was a long-time mob associate and a big earner. He requested a “sitdown” with Angelo Bruno, the then-boss of the Philadelphia Cosa Nostra organized crime family.   

When Barbieri entered the closed restaurant later that week, he saw that Gina was seated across from Bruno and next to Nick Stillitano. He instantly knew his case was hopeless as he was an associate while Stillitano and Gina were “made men.”

Still, he sat down and made his case. After he spoke, Gina responded by saying that Barbieri was a poor bookmaker and loan shark. Gina told Bruno that the book was not living up to its potential. This was due, Gina explained, to the fact that Barbieri neglected the illegal operation by spending too much time in Florida. Gina said that he would do a much better job.

Nick Stillitano nodded in agreement.

Bruno sipped his coffee and was silent for a moment. He then spoke softly to Barbieri.

“You have been a good earner and I’m thankful,” Bruno said. “But Tony is right, you do spend too much time in Florida.”

“My daughter and my grandchildren live in Florida, so I go down and stay with them, but I call the bar every day…”

“OK,” Bruno said flatly. “I understand. Here’s what we will do. Gina will give you a good payout and you can move to Florida permanently. Tony will take over the book for you.”

Barbieri was not happy that he was losing his criminal operation, but he thought that Gina, a notorious killer, would murder him otherwise. He was glad that he would receive a payout and that he would not be murdered.

The sitdown ended with everyone shaking hands.

The following day Gina went to the bar and sat at the back table that Barbieri had occupied. He spoke to Benny Martini, Barbieri’s assistant.

“Benny, I want you to run the day-to-day operation, and I got some ideas I want you to work on.

Martini nodded in agreement.

Gina quickly increased the book’s earnings by drawing in big gamblers that he knew to the book. He kicked up a piece of the profits to Nick Stillitano. And Stillitano in turn kicked up a piece to Bruno.

 

Butch Monti, who was still suffering from the heavy blows from Dom D, was grumbling over the management change while drinking in a mob-run club. He cursed Gina and DeMarco. He said that he was going to clip the two men.

“I don’t care if them is made guys,” Monti told a friend. “I’m gonna whack them.”

Monti’s threats were overheard by another mob associated and he reported the threats to Gina. Stillitano and Gina went to Bruno and made the case that Monti had to go. Bruno, who did like violence as it was bad for business, reluctantly agreed.

The following Saturday evening Monti left a club and was walking towards his car when Gina stepped in front of him. Gina placed his .38 revolver against Monti’s face and fired twice.

Monti fell against a parked car and slid down to the street. Gina walked briskly to a running car. Gina stepped into the front passenger seat next to Dom D at the wheel. The big former heavyweight drove away slowly.

© 2026 Paul Davis