A jury in Indianapolis has found 19-year-old Caden Smith guilty of the October 2021 murders of three Black men, according to FOX 59. Smith was convicted by a Marion County jury for the fatal shootings of 18-year-old Joseph Thomas, 22-year-old Micheal James, and 17-year-old Abdulla Mubarak. The verdict also included two counts of felony murder, two counts of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, and various other charges, including possession of a machine gun, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as resisting law enforcement. Smith, who was 16 years old at the time of the killings, now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison.
The prosecution argued that Smith lured the victims to a vacant lot under the pretense of showing them a gun modified to fire like a machine gun. Investigators revealed that Smith used the weapon, which was later found in his residence, to murder the three men with the intention of robbing them. Text messages uncovered by police showed that Smith had enticed the victims over two nights to demonstrate how a Glock switch works, a device that transforms a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun. This chilling plan culminated in the brutal killings, leaving the victims’ families devastated.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears praised the determination of law enforcement and the prosecution team in securing the guilty verdict. In a statement, Mears acknowledged the pain and loss suffered by the families of Mubarak, Thomas, and James, emphasizing that they will never see their loved ones grow up and live their lives. He noted that the verdict ensures Smith will likely spend his life behind bars, bringing a measure of justice to the grieving families.
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