Courtesy/NMSP

NMSP News:

Quay County – On Friday, March 15, 2024, at around 5 a.m., New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Ofc. Justin Hare was dispatched to Interstate 40, near milepost 318, to assist a motorist in a white BMW who had a flat tire and was attempting to wave down other motorists.

When Ofc. Hare arrived, he parked behind the disabled vehicle. The suspect, later identified as Jaremy Alexander Smith (DOB: 10/14/90) exited his vehicle and approached Ofc. Hare’s passenger side window.  A short conversation ensued about repairing his tire when, without warning, Smith pulled out a firearm and shot Ofc. Hare.

Smith then walked to the driver’s side and shot Ofc. Hare again. Smith then pushed Ofc. Hare into the passenger seat and drove away in Ofc. Hare’s patrol unit. After calls from dispatch to Ofc. Hare went unanswered, an additional NMSP officer was dispatched to assist.

While the assisting officer responded to the area, Ofc. Hare’s duress signal began to go off. The duress signal is an emergency function of the officer’s handheld radio that the officer can activate, and it sends an emergency signal to dispatch.

As the assisting officer continued to the scene, he saw Ofc. Hare’s patrol unit driving westbound at a high rate of speed along the frontage road of Interstate 40 near milepost 312. The officer took the next exit to get on the frontage road and attempted to catch up to Ofc. Hare’s unit. When the officer caught up with the patrol unit, it had been crashed on the frontage road near milepost 304 on Interstate 40.

The assisting officer approached Ofc. Hare’s patrol unit to find it empty. Smith apparently fled on foot and is still at large. Ofc. Hare was later located on the frontage road to Interstate 40 around milepost 312. He  was transported via ambulance to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced deceased at 7:21 a.m. March 15, 2024.

NMSP is attempting to locate Smith and bring him to justice for the murder of Ofc. Hare. Smith should not be approached and is considered armed and dangerous.

Smith has an extensive criminal history in South Carolina:

• • • • • • Taking Hostages and Rioting in Jail;
          • Burglary;
          • Breaking and Entering;
          • Armed Robbery;
          • Resisting Evading Police Officers;
          • Auto Theft;
          • Shooting at or from a Motor Vehicle;
          • Armed Robbery; and
          • Person of Interest in Murder of South Carolina Paramedic Phenesia Machado-Fore. 

NMSP asks that anyone with information contact NMSP at 505.425.6771. Smith should not be approached and is considered armed and dangerous.