Suspect in N.M. officer’s killing is ‘individual of curiosity’ in S.C. girl’s dying

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Information replace: A suspect has been detained in New Mexico state police officer’s killing

By Nathan Brown
The Santa Fe New Mexican

ALBUEQUERQUE, N.M. — A New Mexico State Police officer who was shot and killed close to Tucumcari early Friday died providing to assist his suspected killer with a flat tire, authorities say.

The suspect, a South Carolina man with an extended prison historical past, was driving a BMW that belonged to a lady who was discovered lifeless Friday in South Carolina. He’s thought of an individual of curiosity in her dying.

Jaremy Alexander Smith, 32, of Marion, S.C., is being sought within the dying of Officer Justin Hare, a Logan resident described by group members as a fixture within the village who was fast to assist motorists stranded alongside the roadside.

New Mexico State Police have issued an arrest warrant charging Smith with first-degree homicide, armed theft, capturing at or from a motorized vehicle, tampering with proof, felon in possession of a firearm, illegal taking of a motorized vehicle and prison harm to property.

Smith has a “very intensive prison historical past, the vast majority of which is in South Carolina,” state police Chief Troy Weisler mentioned at a information convention Saturday in Albuquerque. He mentioned Smith, who has been charged with each property and violent crimes, ought to be thought of armed and harmful and shouldn’t be approached.

State Public Security Cupboard Secretary Jason Bowie referred to as Smith “a violent individual with an extended prison historical past, who clearly has no regard [for] anyone he is available in contact with.” Whereas some individuals might need psychological well being points that cause them to commit crimes, he added, that doesn’t look like an element on this case.

“There are some individuals in our society which are simply violent,” Bowie mentioned. “They’re calculating, deliberate of their actions, they usually cease at nothing to prey on others.”

The automotive discovered on the scene of the capturing on Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari belonged to Phonesia Machado-Fore, a paramedic from Pee Dee, S.C., who was discovered lifeless Friday. She was final seen at her house in Marion on Tuesday and was reported lacking Thursday, in response to Fox Carolina. New Mexico State Police reported Smith is an individual of curiosity in her dying.

“Mrs. Fore was one in every of us, a fellow first responder,” Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace mentioned in an announcement to the TV station. “Her dying makes no sense. Our group has suffered an amazing loss. My workforce and I can’t cease till we deliver the individual or individuals answerable for her dying to justice.”

Hare, 35, was responding to a name on I-40 west of Tucumcari when he was fatally shot. Weisler launched a video late Friday night time by which he mentioned Hare was responding to a name round 5 a.m. a couple of motorist with a flat tire who was making an attempt to wave down different motorists. The suspect, Weisler mentioned, received out of his car and approached Hare’s passenger-side window. He mentioned they spoke briefly about fixing the tire and Hare supplied to present Smith a trip into city.

“Then, with out warning, the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot Officer Hare,” Weisler mentioned within the video. “The suspect then walked to the driving force’s aspect and shot Officer Hare once more.”

Smith pushed Hare into the passenger seat and drove away in Hare’s patrol car with Hare inside, Weisler mentioned. One other state police officer went to search out Hare when he didn’t reply calls from dispatch, Weisler mentioned, and whereas the officer was on his approach, Hare’s misery sign was activated, both by Hare or by the motion of his physique being moved.

The officer noticed Hare’s patrol car dashing on the I-40 frontage street about six miles west of the place the BMW was parked, and when he caught up with it one other eight miles down the freeway — about midway between Tucumcari and Santa Rosa — he discovered the empty car crashed on the aspect of the street. Smith had fled on foot, Weisler mentioned.

Police discovered Hare on the aspect of the frontage street and tried to render help. He was dropped at a hospital in Tucumcari, the place he died, state police mentioned in a information launch.

“Officer Hare died serving his state and his group,” Weisler mentioned at Saturday’s information convention. “On a chilly, darkish and windy morning, he supplied to assist an individual he thought was in want. That individual killed him in chilly blood. The final phrases Officer Hare uttered on this Earth was to supply to assist a person who was about to kill him.”

Weisler vowed to seize Smith.

“I implore you to show your self in and give up peacefully,” Weisler mentioned. “There’s been sufficient dying and despair. But when he doesn’t, I assure you this: We’ll discover him. There may be nowhere he can run. There may be nowhere he can conceal the place we won’t discover him.”

Weisler mentioned state police recognized Smith as a suspect after monitoring down leads in South Carolina and viewing video from Hare’s dashboard digicam.

Weisler mentioned Smith has ties to Albuquerque and has frolicked there previously, although the chief refused to debate the character of these ties. He mentioned it’s “a particular risk” Smith is within the Albuquerque space now.

Weisler mentioned police trailed Smith for some time Friday, however the path went chilly when it circled again to the interstate. He mentioned Smith could have gotten one other trip. He warned in opposition to attempting to assist Smith.

“If anyone knowingly assists him, they will count on to pay the worth as effectively and be prosecuted with any cost potential,” Weisler mentioned.

State police mentioned in a information launch Smith’s previous crimes in South Carolina embrace taking hostages and rioting in jail; housebreaking; breaking and coming into; armed theft; resisting and evading police; auto theft; capturing at or from a motorized vehicle; and armed theft.

Weisler mentioned Hare is the third police officer to be killed within the line of obligation in New Mexico in his 8 1/2 months as state police chief. The others had been Alamogordo police Officer Anthony Ferguson, who was shot and killed in July 2023, and Las Cruces police Officer Jonah Hernandez, who was stabbed to dying final month.

Weisler mentioned Hare was a New Mexico native who grew up in Logan and Moriarty and graduated from the New Mexico State Police recruit faculty in 2018. He’s survived by his parents, girlfriend and two younger children.

“He’s a pillar of that group,” Weisler mentioned.

State police officers indicated Friday in a publish on X, the social media website beforehand often called Twitter, Smith was “final seen carrying a brown hoodie and jacket.” In an electronic mail, the company mentioned he was “final seen on foot” on the frontage street that runs alongside I-40 at milepost 304 between Montoya and Newkirk.

Anybody who sees Smith ought to name state police at 505-425-6771 or dial 911.

(c)2024 The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.)
Go to The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.) at www.santafenewmexican.com
Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.

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