The teen convicted in the 2023 murder of a Rockridge High School student has been captured by police after escaping from prison last week.
According to a Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department press release, 18-year-old Johnell Lamont Smith III was arrested in Davenport on Friday, nine days after he escaped prison. Authorities say a surveillance operation was conducted on Friday after they received tips on Smith’s whereabouts. Police conducted a traffic stop, and Smith and another subject were apprehended after attempting to flee on foot.
Smith was charged in April 2023 with one count of home invasion and two counts of first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Danny Taylor of Milan. Following a jury trial, Smith was found guilty on all three counts on April 4, 2025. He was sentenced to 35 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Smith is currently being held in the Scott County Jail.