A guy from South Carolina is being charged with the murder of a police officer in New Mexico. He is also being charged with the murder of a local paramedic whose body was found in their car at the scene of the crime.
Jeremy Smith is charged with murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and criminal plot in the death of Phonesia Machado-Fore, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Friday. The police said that Smith was a person of interest in the case until Friday.
Smith is also being charged with seven counts of felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of grand theft of a motor car, and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. All of these charges come from Marion County.
The Marion County police said Machado-Fore was lost on March 12. After a few days, her body was found shot to death in nearby Dillon County.
But her white BMW was found in New Mexico, which is where Smith is thought to have shot and killed New Mexico State Police officer Justin Hare. Smith was later caught after a search in New Mexico. As of Friday, he was still being held there on federal charges.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina said that many other local, state, and federal departments helped with their investigation.
MCSO Capt. Darren Miles, who was in charge of the investigation, said, “This is the biggest multi-agency investigation I have been a part of.” “We want to thank all of our local, state, and federal partners for the long hours and people they put into this case. Justice will be done for Phonesia Machado-Fore because of your hard work and help.”
“I am so proud of my own department,” Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said. “They did an amazing job working together and putting in hundreds of extra hours to get this case solved.” We’re not even close. The probe is still going on. We won’t stop until everyone who is responsible for this horrible crime is caught.
Jamie Hamilton, the sheriff of Dillon County, also said in a statement that he appreciated the help that citizens and other police departments had given with the probe.
“Our people stepped up right away to make sure justice would be done,” he said. No one should ever forget Phonesia Machado-Fore. Now I want everyone in our neighborhood to think about her family and keep praying for them. On top of that, let us not forget the terrible death of fellow cop Justin Hare, NJ State Police. I’m sure that prayer works.
