A South Carolina man wanted for the murder of a New Mexico State Police officer was captured Sunday in Albuquerque.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said that a gas station clerk spotted a man matching Jaremy Smith’s description and called 911. Deputies surround him as he walked along the street, but he took off running with deputies chasing. Shots were fired, the sheriff’s office said, and Smith was hit. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Smith was wanted for the murder of Officer Justin Hare on Wednesday, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Hare was dispatched to assist a motorist with a flat tire, but the motorist — identified as Smith — instead shot him twice, shoved him into the back seat of his patrol car, and drove away. The vehicle was later found abandoned, and Hare was found on a frontage road near Interstate 40.
The vehicle Smith had been driving was discovered to belong to Phonesia Machado-Fore, a paramedic in Florence County, South Carolina, who had been reported missing. Machado-Fore’s body was found Friday in Dillon County, and Smith was named a person of interest in her murder.
In South Carolina, Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said he was “overwhelmed with relief” that Smith was in custody. No charges have been filed against him in South Carolina, Allen said, so he will remain in custody in New Mexico for the time being.
“The successful capture of Jaremy Smith is a testament to the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and the vigilant citizens of Bernalillo County,” the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “We are grateful that his rampage has come to an end, and it serves as a solemn reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement everyday.”
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Featured image: Phonesia Machado-Fore/Marion County Sheriff’s Office; Jaremy Smith and Justin Hare/New Mexico State Police]
