Staff report
AVON, Ind. — June 21, 2023
After seven days on the U.S. Marshals Service 15 Most Wanted list, Joshua Smiley, the primary suspect in an August 2021 capital murder case, was apprehended Tuesday afternoon at a residence in Avon, a suburb of Indianapolis located in Hendricks County.
26-year-old Smiley had been wanted in connection with the shooting death of a 30-year-old man on Amsterdam Street in Mobile, Alabama. Additionally, federal authorities sought Smiley for violating his federal bond related to a drug charge in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Over the weekend, investigators from the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force received crucial information leading them to Smiley’s whereabouts. Task force members, observing the fugitive at a residence in Avon early Tuesday, promptly summoned additional assistance from the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and notified the Indiana State Police SWAT unit. A search warrant for the address was obtained.
At the scene, the Indiana State Police SWAT team initiated a surround and callout operation, while members of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force maintained the perimeter. Smiley cooperated with the authorities and exited the residence peacefully, ensuring a safe arrest.
Smiley’s criminal history includes a 2019 conviction for his involvement in a fatal shooting that occurred in Fort Wayne in 2018. He received a five-year prison sentence with two years suspended.
Ronald L. Davis, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service, praised the diligent efforts of the Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers involved in capturing Smiley, stating, “I commend the Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers who worked tirelessly to get a dangerous fugitive off the street. A special thanks is due to the attentive public who played a part in the arrest of Joshua Smiley. We truly appreciate those who take it upon themselves to provide information that helps us make our communities safer.”
According to a press release, the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted fugitive program focuses on individuals with extensive criminal records, particularly those involving violence, presenting a significant risk to public safety.
