FLORENCE, S.C. — In a chilling showcase of criminal activity, Jaremy Alexander Smith, 34, faces severe allegations for his role in two harrowing incidents: the murder of a New Mexico state trooper and the death of a Florence County paramedic. Court documents recently filed deliver a stark narrative of Smith’s alleged actions, which span multiple states and shocking acts of violence.
Smith, a Marion, South Carolina resident, admitted his guilt in the killing of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare earlier this year. The tragic encounter occurred along Interstate 40 in mid-March when Officer Hare, responding to Smith’s stranded vehicle, offered assistance. Smith responded by fatally shooting Hare before commandeering his patrol car.
The documents further delve into the brutal series of events following the roadside murder. Smith, who met Phonesia Machado-Fore, 52, through her roommate, later kidnapped and fatally shot the paramedic in a secluded field in South Carolina. Her body was found days later near an abandoned home in Dillon County.
Following the cold-blooded killings, federal prosecutors described Smith as a lifelong perpetrator of serious offenses, ranging from murder and robbery to carjacking and larceny. According to the filing, Smith’s criminal endeavors began at 16, painting a picture of a deeply troubled individual whose actions dramatically escalated over time.
Among the haunting details laid out by prosecutors are the accusations that after murdering Machado-Fore, Smith returned to her residence, stole firearms from her safe, and sold them. He then engaged in further reprehensible behavior by threatening a sex worker in an attempt to reclaim the money he had paid her.
These allegations against Smith culminate in a plea by prosecutors to impose a life sentence, arguing it’s the only just remedy to prevent further harm to the community and uphold societal norms of justice.
Smith, whose legal troubles are far from over, disputes much of the information presented against him. He’s scheduled for sentencing next month in New Mexico for the murder of Officer Hare and faces additional trials for the charges related to Machado-Fore’s death, including state and federal accusations.
These horrifying events highlight a pattern of unrestrained violence and flagrant disregard for human life, leaving communities across multiple states shaken. As the legal proceedings continue, many await justice for the victims and safety assurances that such crimes will not go unpunished.