On March 15, 2024, at approximately 5:00 AM, New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare, 35, responded to a call about a driver with a flat tire on Interstate 40 near milepost 318, west of Tucumcari. The driver, later identified as Jaremy Alexander Smith, 32, of Marion, South Carolina, had been waving for help from other motorists.
As Officer Hare approached Smith's white BMW, a short conversation ensued about repairing the tire. Hare offered to give Smith a ride into town.
Without warning, Smith pulled out a firearm and shot Hare. Smith then walked to the driver's side of the patrol vehicle and shot Hare a second time before pushing him into the passenger seat and driving away in the patrol car.
When Hare failed to respond to dispatch, another officer was sent to investigate. The second officer spotted Hare's patrol vehicle being driven at high speed along the frontage road. Before the officer could catch up, the patrol car crashed at milepost 304. Smith had fled on foot, leaving the vehicle empty.
Officer Hare was found on the frontage road near milepost 312 and rushed to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari. He was pronounced dead at 7:21 AM, approximately two hours after the initial incident.
A manhunt was immediately launched for Smith, who was described as armed and dangerous. New Mexico State Police issued an arrest warrant for Smith on charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and several other offenses.
On March 17, 2024, two days after the shooting, Smith was apprehended following a deputy-involved shooting in Southwest Albuquerque. A gas station clerk had alerted authorities after recognizing Smith from the police description. When deputies arrived and confirmed Smith's identity, a short foot pursuit ensued, resulting in several shots being fired. Smith was shot multiple times and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
It was later revealed that Smith had an extensive criminal history in South Carolina, including charges of taking hostages, burglary, and armed robbery. He was also identified as a person of interest in the murder of Phonesia Machado-Fore, a paramedic from South Carolina whose BMW Smith had been driving at the time of the incident with Officer Hare.
Federal prosecutors have since charged Smith with carjacking resulting in death and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Despite the severity of the charges, it has been announced that Smith will not face the death penalty.
Officer Justin Hare, a six-year veteran of the New Mexico State Police, is survived by his girlfriend, two young children, parents, and brother. He was the third officer New Mexico State Police had lost to violent crime in almost nine months.
