A Maryland man has admitted to brutally slaying his ex-boss in an attempted robbery.
On Friday, 38-year-old Billy Phillips pled guilty to the June 2021 killing of 66-year-old Geoffrey Burr Biddle at the victim’s home in Bethesda, MD.
Along with a charge of first-degree murder, Phillips also faced counts of home invasion, armed robbery, and firearms in the commission of a felony.
Prosecutors plan to seek the maximum penalty of life in prison and an extra 65 years when a sentence is passed in March.
It is believed that the incident began before 9:30 a.m. when Phillips broke into Biddle’s home. He then encountered the CEO of Payment Solutions Incorporated and fired numerous shots.
Afterward, Phillips attempted to cover his tracks by stealing payouts and pre-dating two checks on Biddle’s checkbook.
The previous evening of June 22, Biddle had dinner with an employee and texted a girlfriend. A bogus email was sent out to employees on the morning of June 23, telling them that Biddle would be unreachable because of a family emergency although he had already taken the day off. This email was suspicious to employees.
The next day, a pal of Biddle’s went to check on him and discovered his car in the driveway with a flat tire, and after searching, the missing man’s cell phone and wallet were found on the kitchen island. No credit cards or money were in the wallet.
Police were called and officers who arrived afterward located Biddle in the basement, surrounded by a pool of blood and .22 caliber spent shell casings.
According to court documents, Phillips’ was in financial despair and charges of fraud led to his firing in April of 2021.
Phillips’ guilty plea reflects an irrevocable admission of guilt, as he will face the maximum penalty when given a sentence in March.