Marion man wanted in New Mexico police killing shot by deputies during pursuit

Adam Benson
·1 min read
1

MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A Marion man charged in the murder of a New Mexico State Police officer was shot by deputies in an Albuquerque neighborhood before his arrest on Sunday, authorities said.

Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said at a news conference that 32-year-old Jaremy Smith was struck multiple times and is under guard at an area hospital as he recovers before answering on charges including first-degree murder.

Smith is also a person of interest in the death of Pee Dee paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore. The 52-year-old’s body was recovered on Friday in Lake View.

Smith, of Marion, is blamed for the roadside shooting of New Mexico State Police Ofc. Justin Hare along Interstate 40 on Friday morning. Smith was driving Machado-Fore’s white BMW at the time.

Allen said a gas station worker called deputies about 7 a.m. on Sunday after spotting a person matching Smith’s description.

He was then seen walking along Unser Boulevard in Albuquerque. A perimeter was set up near a residential neighborhood and Smith was shot, Allen said.

New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler said Smith’s arrest gives some closure to Hare’s colleagues.

“Yesterday we said that we would bring Jeramy Smith to justice. There was nowhere he could run, that there was nowhere he could hide. Today, thanks to our community and our fellow law enforcement partners, we were able to do that,” Weisler said.

Shortly after Smith’s arrest, Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace said his agency’s investigation into Machado-Fore’s death is being carried out aggressively.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.