Cop Killer Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Killing NMSP Officer Hare

Albuquerque –

A federal court has just sentenced Jaremy Smith to life in prison for a violent, multi-state crime spree that ended with the murder of Officer Justin Hare in New Mexico. Under federal law, Smith will never be eligible for parole.

On March 15, 2024, Smith encountered New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare in Tucumcari, New Mexico, when Officer Hare stopped to assist Smith with a flat tire on his stolen BMW. As Officer Hare pulled in behind the vehicle, Smith exited the BMW and approached the passenger window of the patrol car. After a brief conversation, Officer Hare asked Smith to move to the front of the patrol car. Instead, Smith shot Officer Hare, who slumped into the driver’s seat. Smith then circled to the driver’s side, shot Officer Hare two more times, and took control of the patrol unit with Officer Hare still inside.

Smith drove west on I-40 and later exited onto a frontage road, where he pulled Officer Hare from the vehicle and left him on the roadside. He continued driving for another 10 minutes before crashing the patrol car into shrubbery along the north frontage road in Guadalupe County.

When Officer Hare failed to respond to dispatch, another officer was sent to check on him. While en route, that officer received a distress signal from Hare’s handheld radio and spotted the patrol unit speeding in the opposite direction. The officer attempted to pursue the vehicle but arrived only after it had crashed. Finding the patrol car empty, the officer searched the area and discovered Officer Hare, still alive but critically wounded. Emergency personnel transported him to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari, where he was pronounced dead at 7:21 a.m.

After fleeing the crash site, Smith stole a flatbed truck in Cuervo and drove to Albuquerque, where he intended to contact a former girlfriend.

On March 17, 2024, a gas station clerk in Albuquerque recognized the unusual spelling of Smith’s name from police advisories when he presented ID for a purchase and alerted authorities. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies quickly arrived. Smith attempted to ambush them and fled through a residential neighborhood. During the pursuit, he discarded the firearm used in Officer Hare’s murder. Authorities later recovered the weapon, along with the stolen flatbed truck and ammunition, further linking Smith to the crime spree.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced the sentencing.

“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 Ellison. “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.”

“Every day, first responders answer the call to protect others- often at great personal risk. The loss of Officer Hare is a heartbreaking reminder of that reality,” said Raul Bujanda Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “While this sentence does not undo the pain inflicted upon our community, we hope it brings a sense of resolution to his family. We will continue to work with our partners to pursue violent offenders with every tool at our disposal.”

“Jaremy Smith, in a cruel and calculated act of evil, ambushed Officer Justin Hare, executing him and leaving him to die alone in the cold after stealing his patrol vehicle,” said Chief Troy Weisler of the New Mexico State Police. “Thanks to the courage of community members and the tireless efforts of our local and federal partners, Smith was swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. With today’s sentencing, the court has sent a clear and unwavering message: anyone who harms those who protect and serve will face the full and unrelenting weight of justice. While no sentence can bring Justin back, our officers will rest easier knowing that Jaremy Smith will never again walk free and will spend the rest of his life exactly where he belongs.”

On January 17, 2025, Smith pleaded guilty to several charges: carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of a stolen firearm, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Smith still faces charges in South Carolina. Authorities in South Carolina have already obtained warrants to charge Smith for the brutal execution of Paramedic Crew Chief Sgt. Phonesia Machado-Fore. Unsealed court documents state Smith abducted Machado-Fore on March 13, 2024, used zip ties and plastic wrap to bind her and shot her in the head. Machado-Fore had been planning to move to Minnesota to be closer to her eldest daughter and grandchildren.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina has reportedly charged Smith with murder, carjacking, kidnapping, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, seven counts of felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of grand larceny of a motor vehicle, and criminal conspiracy. South Carolina still has the death penalty for their killers.