A baby-faced teenager has been unmasked as the gunman who killed three young people in Indiana in 2021.
Caden Smith, now 19, was convicted in the shooting deaths of Michael James Jr., 22, Joseph Thomas, 18, and Abdullah Mubark, 17, on Monday, according to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
On October 12, 2021, an off-duty police officer discovered their bodies and several spent shell casings in a wooded area near South Meridian Street and West Hanna Avenue, raising concerns of a serial killer in Indianapolis.
The prosecutor identified Smith, then 16, as the killer after learning he had taken the boys out to the field that night “to show them how the Glock switch works” and discovering he had had communication with the victims.
“It was a long and challenging road for these families, but thanks to the steadfast commitment of investigators, deputy district attorneys and the multitude of agencies, justice has been achieved for Abdullah, Joseph, Michael and their families,” said Marion County District Attorney Ryan Mears.
Caden Smith (pictured), now 19, was convicted of the shooting deaths of Michael James Jr, 22, Joseph Thomas, 18, and Abdullah Mubark, 17, on Monday.
Smith killed Michael James Jr., 22 (left), Joseph Thomas, 18 (right), and Abdullah Mubark, 17 (not pictured).
In 2022, a judge said detectives violated Smith’s Fourth Amendment right after executing a search warrant. Key evidence in the case was then thrown out, while Smith was released with a GPS ankle monitor and barred from leaving the state.
After his initial release, James’ mother, Gladys Larsen, explained her anger at the justice system.
“We didn’t want Caden Smith to be released, because once again, we’re here having another conversation about this kid and his crimes,” Larsen said. That?
It wasn’t long before police discovered Smith violated his release order after finding Snapchat images of him posing with guns and doing drugs.
He was arrested on his 18th birthday at his home, where police say they found guns, drugs and ammunition.
Smith was charged with trafficking marijuana, visiting a common location, invasion of privacy and violating the conditions of his pretrial release.
After being released in 2022 with a GPS ankle monitor, detectives soon discovered Snapchat images of him holding a gun in his hand and smoking marijuana.
In another image, Smith is seen smoking a joint.
At the time, the killer’s attorney, David Hennessy, argued that the guns were not in his clients’ possession.
“They have to prove that he possessed it, not that he was just in a house where there were weapons that weren’t in plain sight,” Hennessey said. That?
Asked about Snapchat photos of Smith smoking and holding a gun, Hennessey didn’t seem so sure.
“Yeah, I’m going to have to ask a young man to guide me through Snapchat,” he said before walking away.
Smith has been charged with three counts of murder, two counts of manslaughter, two counts of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of dangerous possession of a machine gun, one misdemeanor count of dangerous possession of a firearm, one count of possession of methamphetamine, one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana and one misdemeanor count of resisting law enforcement.
The families of Abdullah, Joseph and Michael will never be able to see them grow up and live their lives.
Smith is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison. A court date has not yet been set.
“This verdict confirms that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed,” Mears said at the time.
A sentencing date for Smith has not yet been set.
In March, a gunman filmed himself opening fire at a Kroger supermarket in Fort Wayne, Indiana, after searching the store for “anyone good” and failing to hit them.
Richard Klaff, 20, recorded the shooting on Facebook Live as he prepared and carried out the attack at the store.
It began around 6:15 p.m. on May 23 by lighting a cigarette in an upstairs bathroom at the Georgetown Kroger, stating, “I’m going to shoot 11 people… watch.”
Klaff cocked the gun several times before walking down the stairs and through the supermarket looking for the right target.
“Which one am I going to choose? Let me find someone good quickly, I’m not going to kill any old people,” he said.
Klaff eventually spotted a black woman at what appeared to be the counter of a deli or bakery, and marked her for death.
“Oh yeah, I see one, I see one,” he said, and then fired six shots at him, all of which missed and no one was hurt.
The targeting raised fears the shooting was racially motivated, but it was unclear whether that was the case or whether she was the first black shopper he had seen.
The gunman fled the store after firing as the video ended. He was arrested at another nearby store shortly after the shooting.
He was charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and booked into the Allen County Jail.