Jaremy Smith, Officer Murder, New Mexico 2024

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Jaremy Smith has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder of New Mexico State Officer Justin Hare. Smith was convicted of a violent crime spree that ended in the officer’s death.

On March 15, 2024, Smith encountered NMSP Officer Justin Hare in Tucumcari, New Mexico, when Officer Hare stopped to assist Smith with a flat tire on the BMW. When Officer Hare pulled over behind the BMW, Smith exited the driver’s side of his car and approached the passenger window of Officer Hare’s patrol car. After a short discussion, Officer Hare asked Smith to walk to the front of the patrol vehicle. Instead, Smith shot Officer Hare, who slumped to the right in the driver’s seat. Smith then moved to the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle and shot Officer Hare two additional times before entering the driver’s seat and driving away with Hare still inside the vehicle.

Screenshot of Exhibit 1 (00:01:02) depicting Smith walking to driver’s side window of the patrol vehicle

At some point, the vehicle’s distress system was activated. Smith drove westbound on I-40 before exiting on a frontage road and removing Officer Hare from the vehicle, leaving him on the side of the road, and drove away. Smith drove the patrol vehicle for another 10 minutes, eventually crashing the patrol unit into shrubbery along the north frontage road of Interstate 40 in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.

There is no parole in the federal system.

When Officer Hare did not respond to the dispatcher’s check for an update, a second officer was sent to the scene. While en route, the second officer received the distress signal from Officer Hare’s handheld radio. The officer then spotted Officer Hare’s patrol unit driving in the opposite direction at high speed along the frontage road. The second officer attempted to catch up with Officer Hare’s unit, but before he could, Smith crashed the patrol vehicle. Upon approaching the crashed vehicle, the officer found it empty, with no sign of Smith or Officer Hare. The officer then began a search of the area and found Officer Hare, still alive. Officer Hare was rushed to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari, where he was pronounced dead at 7:21 a.m.

After crashing the stolen patrol car, Smith fled on foot, stole a flatbed truck in Cuervo, and drove to Albuquerque. Smith was heading to Albuquerque because he had a former girlfriend who lived there.

Smith’s capture came on March 17, 2024, when a gas station clerk in Albuquerque recognized the unusual spelling of his name from police advisory messages when he presented identification to make a purchase, and the clerk contacted law enforcement. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies quickly arrived, and Smith attempted to ambush them before fleeing through a residential neighborhood. During the chase, Smith discarded the firearm used to kill Officer Hare, which was later recovered. Law enforcement also found the stolen flatbed truck, with ammunition inside, and further linked Smith to the crime spree.

"Jaremy Smith’s violent crime spree left a trail of destruction across state lines, endangering the lives of both the public and first responders," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellsion. "Today’s sentence serves as a powerful reminder that violence against those who serve and protect the public will not be tolerated. Officer Justin Hare, a hero who saw someone in need and selflessly stepped in to help, paid the ultimate price. We honor his memory by ensuring that Jaremy Smith will never again be able to endanger the lives of others. Our focus remains on securing justice for victims and holding violent criminals fully accountable for their actions."

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