On a summer evening in Greenville, South Carolina, the life of 21-year-old Joshua Mitchell Hardin of Easley was cut short. On June 20, 2021, deputies from the Greenville County Sheriff's Office responded to a call on York Drive around 9 p.m. and found Hardin inside a vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. The Greenville County Coroner's Office pronounced him dead at the scene, and an autopsy later confirmed that he died from these injuries, ruling his death a homicide.
Investigators
discovered that Hardin had made arrangements to meet with individuals at Welcome Park to sell stereo equipment. It was during this meeting that an altercation broke out, leading to Hardin being shot. After the shooting, the suspects fled, and Hardin's vehicle rolled into a pole.
In connection with the death of Joshua Hardin, authorities arrested two individuals. Jerome Smith III, who was 18 years old at the time and from Greenville, and a 16-year-old juvenile were taken into custody. Both were charged with murder and armed robbery. The juvenile faced an additional charge for possession of a weapon during a violent crime. According to the investigation, it was the 16-year-old who allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot Hardin during the planned transaction.
Joshua Mitchell Hardin was remembered as a cherished son, a new father to his infant son, Gunner, and a loving husband to his wife, Rachel. He was known for his love of 'mudding,' working on small engines and cars, and spending time with his friends at the lake. His family and friends described him as someone who never met a stranger and had a gift for making people laugh, a prankster at heart who brought joy to those around him.
