Federal charges filed against man accused of killing New Mexico State Police officer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KVII) — Federal charges were filed against the man accused of killing New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare.

Jaremy Smith is charged with carjacking resulting in death, and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

"You made good on your promise that you would find Smith. We're going to take it from here," said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez.

Court documents filed Thursday in federal court reveal new details about the murder and manhunt.

Smith is accused of killing Hare on March 15 after getting a flat on I-40 near Tucumcari.

He's also a person of interest in the murder of a paramedic in South Carolina. According to court records, Phonesia Machado-Fore died from a gunshot wound to the head.

After she disappeared, Machado-Fore's roommate discovered they were missing a Taurus 9mm pistol.

Smith was driving Machado-Fore's BMW when Hare stopped to help him.

According to court records, Smith shot Hare multiple times in the head and neck. He then took off in Hare's patrol SUV with Hare still inside.

Smith crashed 14 few miles down the road and ran.

MMSP officers found two 9 mm shell casings in Hare’s SUV.

There were also four bullets lodged in the patrol vehicle:

• between the center console and driver’s seat
• front passenger door panel
• lodged in the lockbox in the back of the patrol vehicle (normally used safely to lock a police-issue AR style semiautomatic rifle)
• light bar

Smith was arrested two days later in Albuquerque.

A gas station clerk called 911 after Smith used a South Carolina identification card to purchase items. The clerk noticed the name on the identification card, “Jaremy Smith," was the same distinct spelling reported by the media.

Put yourselves in the shoes of a gas station clerk who is not a trained investigator, who is not an official, who is not a cop. A brave civilian working a normal job 100 miles away from a terrible crime," said Uballez. "Imagine knowing what you all knew then and imagine still doing the right thing, standing up for someone you have never met.

Police responded and spotted Smith walking down the street.

According to court records, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office body-worn camera footage shows Smith reaching for his waistband as officers close in.

BCSO deputies fired at Smith, striking him. Smith was taken to the hospital.

Surveillance video, captured just before Smith’s arrest, could explain how he got from Tucumcari to Albuquerque.

It shows him walking to a white flatbed truck in the area of the gas station.

The truck was stolen on March 16 from Cuervo, New Mexico, which is approximately 13 miles west of where he crashed Hare’s SUV.

Officers found several items inside the truck, including white Nike shoes and 9mm ammunition.

NMSP Chief Troy Weisler previously mentioned Smith had an extensive criminal history.

According to the FBI, Smith was arrested 13 times in South Carolina and Georgia for various offenses, including taking of a hostage by an inmate, attempted armed robbery, a parole revocation, giving false information to law enforcement, receiving stolen goods valued at $5,000 or more, burglary, and grand larceny.