Grisly triple murderer was sentenced to 189 years in prison

An Indianapolis man was sentenced Friday to nearly two centuries in prison after being found guilty about three years ago of shooting and killing three people before leaving their bodies on a grassy path.

Caden Smith, 19, was sentenced to 189 years in prison after being convicted last month of the October 2021 murders of Joseph Thomas, Michael James and Abdulla Mubarak, the Marion County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Friday.

Mubarak was 17, Thomas 18 and James 22 when they died. Smith was 16 years old when the incident occurred.

“Once again, the sale of unregulated firearms resulted in the tragic deaths of three innocent people,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement shared on the office’s Facebook page. “This significant verdict is a testament to our commitment to holding violent individuals accountable for their actions. We are grateful for today’s announcement and thanks to the dedication of our deputy prosecutors and investigators, justice has been achieved for Abdullah, Joseph, Michael and their families.”

Smith had communicated with his victims before the killings, which eventually led investigators to his home, where they found the gun used in the murders, according to the statement The Indianapolis StarAssociated Press and local station Fox 59. According to the networks, Smith lured his victims to the remote area where they were shot by promising to show them a “Glock switch,” a modification that allows semi-automatic shooting can The rifle fires faster than a machine gun.

The 2021 murders had led to rumors that a serial killer was on the loose in the Indianapolis area at the time The Indianapolis Star.

Prosecutors’ efforts to convict Smith have faced some obstacles in recent years, local news outlet WTHR reported, including a judge’s 2022 decision to allow Smith’s release because the judge said his arresting officers had his Fourth Amendment rights violated.

Key evidence was thrown out as a result of the verdict, the media said, but Smith was soon arrested again for violating his probation when he posted photos of himself next to a gun and drugs on Snapchat.

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Smith’s trial last month lasted five days before he was finally convicted Indianapolis StarWTHR, Associated Press and Fox 59.

“It has been a long and challenging journey for these families, but thanks to the unwavering commitment of investigators, deputy prosecutors and the multitude of agencies, justice was achieved for Abdullah, Joseph, Michael and their families,” Mears said after the trial, according to the Indianapolis Star.