The U.S. Marshals Service has placed an Indiana man wanted on a capital murder charge in Mobile onto its 15 Most Wanted fugitives list, a designation reserved for some of the country’s most dangerous and elusive suspects, and is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Joshua Smiley, 26, is wanted in connection with the August 2021 shooting death of a 30-year-old man on Amsterdam Street in Mobile. In addition to the Mobile case, U.S. Marshals are seeking Smiley for violating the terms of federal bond on a separate federal drug charge out of Fort Wayne, Ind.
Smiley’s criminal history includes a prior conviction tied to a fatal shooting. In 2019, he was convicted for his role in a 2018 shooting death in Fort Wayne and received a five-year prison sentence, with two years suspended.
“Smiley has been added to the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous nature of his crimes,” said Ronald L. Davis, director of the U.S. Marshals Service, in a news release announcing the addition. “I am confident with the help of the community we can bring this fugitive to justice.”
According to the Marshals Service, Smiley is a Black man standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos on both arms. Investigators believe he may be hiding out in Mobile, Fort Wayne or Indianapolis, and he is considered armed and dangerous, as he is known to carry firearms.
Anyone with information on Smiley’s whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or submit a tip through the USMS Tips App. Officials say tips will be kept in strict confidence and tipsters’ anonymity is guaranteed.
The 15 Most Wanted program, which the U.S. Marshals Service has run since 1983, is designed to draw national attention to fugitives considered the most dangerous still at large. Those placed on the list tend to be career criminals with histories of violence who pose a significant ongoing threat to public safety — a group that has historically included murderers, sex offenders, major drug traffickers, organized crime figures and people wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program’s inception four decades ago, more than 250 15 Most Wanted cases have been closed, according to the agency, underscoring how the added national visibility often plays a direct role in bringing fugitives into custody.
The case remains an active, ongoing investigation, and Smiley’s addition to the list is expected to widen the pool of tips coming into the Marshals Service and local law enforcement partners working the case in Mobile.