An Indiana teenager learned his fate Friday after the cold-blooded murders of three unsuspecting young men whom he lured to a secluded field prior to executing them.
Caden Smith was convicted Friday of the murders along with charges of robbery and dangerous possession of a firearm.
Smith, 19, was 16 in October 2021 when a police officer happened upon the bodies of Joseph Thomas, 18, Michael James, 22, and Abdulla Mubarak, 17-all had been shot to death and staged next to one another on a path lined by tall grasses.
Smith's was identified as a suspect through his prior communication with the victims, according to WRTV.
Investigators discovered Smith had persuaded the three to the field under the guise he was going to demonstrate a gun conversion device known as a "Glock switch" that can make a semi-automatic weapon turn fire like a machine gun.
Upon arrest, authorities located the murder weapon in Smith's residence.
He was charged as an adult in the killings in November 2021.
"Abdullah's, Joseph's, and Michael's families will never be able to see them grow up and live their lives. This verdict solidifies that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed," Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.
Smith is currently awaiting a sentencing date.
