September trial date set for Marion man accused in deadly roadside ambush of New Mexico State Police officer

Adam Benson
·1 min read
5

SOCASTEE, S.C. (WBTW) — A Marion man will spend almost another full year in jail before going to trial on capital carjacking and firearm charges.

Jaremy Smith, 33, has seen his trial delayed multiple times since an original June 10 date stemming from allegations that he set a roadside ambush along Interstate 40 in New Mexico that led to the death of Ofc. Justin Hare.

A scheduling order filed Monday in U.S. District Court’s Albuquerque district show a new trial date of Sept. 22 with a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 12.

Jaremy Smith scheduling orderDownload

Smith is accused in the roadside killing of Hare along Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari on March 15.

Hare pulled over to help Smith who was stranded along the highway when Smith shot him, according to court documents. Smith then fled in Hare’s police unit and crashed it.

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

In August, attorneys said Smith’s case involves 20,000 pages of discovery including law enforcement reports, photographs, videos, phone records, GPS data and other material.

If convicted, Smith won’t face the death penalty.

Smith also faces 17 charges related to the death of Phonesia Machado-Fore, a Pee Dee paramedic whose body was found March 15 outside of Lake View in Dillon County.

Officials say he was driving Machado-Fore’s white BMW when Hare stopped to help him.

* * *

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.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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