A man prosecutors have labeled a “cold-blooded killer” has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a New Mexico state trooper — one of two chilling killings he allegedly committed during a multi-state rampage last year.
Jaremy Smith, 33, was handed a life sentence without parole on Monday after pleading guilty to the 2024 execution-style killing of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare. Hare had pulled over on Interstate 40 to help Smith change a flat tire, unaware that the man he was aiding had just murdered a South Carolina paramedic and was on the run.
But Hare was not just killed — he was ambushed. Smith admitted in his plea agreement that he shot Hare once in the head while standing at the passenger window of the patrol car, then walked around the front of the vehicle and shot him two more times in the head and neck through the driver’s window, intending to kill.
Smith then hijacked the officer’s cruiser — with Hare still inside — and drove several minutes before dragging his body out and abandoning him on the roadside.
Days earlier, Smith had allegedly kidnapped 54-year-old South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore, forced her to wear a dog shock collar, bound her wrists with zip ties, and ultimately shot her in the back of the head in her pajamas and slippers. Her body was found in a wooded area near her home on the same day Hare was killed.
Court documents detail a horror scene: Machado-Fore’s body was discovered with blood-soaked blindfolds, her mouth taped shut, and the shock collar still on her neck — a device commonly used on dogs.
Smith is believed to have stolen weapons from Machado-Fore’s home before forcing her into her own BMW and driving her into the woods, where she was executed.
Following this grisly crime, Smith embarked on a cross-country spree, traveling with an unnamed accomplice from South Carolina through Texas and finally to New Mexico. Along the way, authorities allege he committed armed robbery and multiple other violent acts.
Even after his capture, the full extent of Smith’s crimes continued to shock investigators. A sentencing memo stated: “The cold-blooded murder of Officer Hare punctuated Smith’s lifelong commitment to lawlessness, violence, and mayhem.”
The government added: “From murder to robbery, hostage-taking to burglary, and carjacking to larceny, Smith has managed in his 34 years to inflict incalculable suffering to those unfortunate enough to cross his path.”
Smith pleaded guilty to five federal charges, including carjacking resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death. He is currently serving his life sentence at the Penitentiary of New Mexico.
But Smith’s legal troubles aren’t over.
He still faces 17 state charges in South Carolina, including murder, kidnapping, burglary, and multiple weapons violations. Prosecutors there have not ruled out seeking the death penalty. His trial is expected in the coming months.