Executive Summary
- Johnell Lamont Smith III, convicted of a 2023 murder, escaped from the custody of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice in Chicago on November 12.
- Smith was sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder and home invasion for the death of Danny Taylor in Milan.
- The U.S. Marshals Service is leading a manhunt with assistance from the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office.
- Authorities have not located Smith and are asking the public for any information regarding his whereabouts.
A multi-agency manhunt is underway for an inmate who escaped from custody in Chicago on November 12. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office are searching for Johnell Lamont Smith III, who was convicted earlier this year for a 2023 murder in Milan, Illinois.
According to the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office, Smith was participating in a program in Chicago when he escaped. He had been in the custody of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice since June 12, 2025, after being transported to the Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg.
In a jury trial that concluded on April 4, 2025, Smith was found guilty on one count of home invasion and two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Danny Taylor. He was subsequently sentenced on June 10 to 35 years in prison, followed by three years of mandatory supervised release.
The U.S. Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force is leading the search effort. Smith’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding his location to contact the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office or to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers.