Humble. Servant. Hero.
These words were used to describe slain Indiana State Trooper Aaron Smith as his family, law enforcement officers, firefighters and community members from across the state and nation came together Friday to honor him at Emmanuel Church in Greenwood. After the funeral, hundreds of residents lined streets from Greenwood to Whiteland to Indianapolis to pay tribute to Smith, waving American flags and holding signs calling Smith a hero.
Smith, 33, of Franklin, was killed on June 28 in Hendricks County while trying to stop a fleeing vehicle. Police say the car, which was stolen, intentionally veered into Smith. One person has been charged with murder in connection to the incident, while another is facing a theft charge.
‘Forever indebted’
By the time Smith was six years old, he knew he wanted to be a police officer. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former Trafalgar Police officer, Smith wrote in a letter at age 6.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said during Smith’s funeral Friday there was nothing ordinary about Smith, who had twice received life-saving awards for helping people victims of gun violence. He constantly sought and seized opportunities in life, continually putting more and more on his plate.
“He was constantly seeking new ways to serve, more dangerous ways to serve, knowing exactly what he signed up for,” he said. “On behalf of the state, we are forever grateful and we are forever indebted,” he said.
On top of his job as a trooper, Smith joined the Indiana National Guard in 2011 and achieved the rank of sergeant. As a soldier, he earned numerous awards.
Major General R. Dale Lyles, adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, said Smith was a hero who died not only for Hoosiers but for all Americans. Smith’s memory should serve as a reminder of the “high price and cost” of defending U.S. security, freedom and the greater cost of a better world, he said.
“Let us strive to honor his sacrifice through a renewed appreciation for the liberties we enjoy and by collectively working towards a better world,” Lyles said.
Firefighter and law enforcement chaplain Aaron Jones, a member of Smith’s extended family, fondly remembered one of his last conversations with Smith, where Smith tried to convince him to buy a Tesla.
“He scrolled through his phone and he was showing me how cool the features were, the gas he was saving and how sweet the ride was,” Jones said. “Now, I’m not still convinced of that, but the road ahead isn’t always what we planned.”
‘Humble servant hero’
Christopher Marlin, Smith’s cousin, read letters from family members and friends reflecting on Smith’s impact and legacy. Tony Marlin, Smith’s uncle, described Smith as a “humble servant hero.”
Tony Marlin wrote about how he found out about Smith’s two lifesaving awards, saying he wouldn’t have found out about it had his son Christopher not accidentally found it on the internet. When they asked Smith about it, he downplayed it, saying he was just doing his job, Christopher Marlin said on behalf of his father.
He later discussed Smith’s efforts to help clean up Whiteland after the March 31 tornado. Smith was one of the first people to go out and help his community, and did because “that’s what Aaron does,” he said.
There were also times when, as a sibling rivalry flared up, Smith would step in to stop Christopher Marlin from picking on his little brother.
“Every time, Aaron would defend his little cousin because Aaron defended the marginalized,” Christopher Marlin said. “As a child, this was incredibly annoying. As an adult, it depicts the kind of man that he would later become; the kind of career that he would choose.”
Marlin also said that during a recent conversation, he and Smith’s wife thought that if Smith saw the outpouring of support and attention he’s garnered following his death, “he would’ve hated it.”
Drive to succeed
Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter spoke about his own interactions with Smith, including how from the beginning Smith had a strong presence and a drive to succeed. He recalled a time in 2021 when Smith briefly left ISP because he wanted to do private work and spend more time with his family, and his wife, Megan. He called Smith into his office to discuss it.
“Within just a few minutes of my discussion with Aaron I knew two things: One, there was no way I was going to be able to talk him out of his decision to leave,” Carter said. “The second, he’ll ask to come back. I would look forward to and gladly approve that request when he did.”
There was something about Smith that made him stand out, and he was special, Carter said. Four months later, Smith wrote to Carter asking if he could come back. Carter was thrilled.
“I sat with Aaron and Megan to again talk about why he wanted to return, and every question I asked was rhetorical, and they knocked it out of the park,” he said. “Both Aaron and Megan were so committed to not only ISP but to the service of others. It was very apparent they were both all in.”
Carter also recounted the sadness among Smith’s family and the nurses, troopers, security staff and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officers at the hospital the night Smith died. He was amazed at the depth of faith Smith’s family had, and their compassion for others, amid their grief.
Smith’s family took time to pray for not only Smith’s life but also for those around them.
“Megan, you and your entire family have inspired us, offered us hope through faith by the way you live your life,” Carter said.
A Warrior forever
Emmanuel Church Greenwood Campus Pastor Cody Johnson had gotten to know Smith and his wife as they came to the church over the years. It was fitting that Smith was a Whiteland graduate, as he was a Warrior.
“It’s perfect because a warrior is someone who goes to battle. Someone who puts their foot on the line ready to risk anything and everything for what he or she believes is important,” Johnson said.
Warriors fight with honor and live honorable lives. They have conviction, integrity and character — like Smith, Johnson said.
Johnson was at the hospital with Smith’s family the night he died. He was amazed to see the way everyone — hospital staff and troopers — came together to pay their respects as Smith’s body was being prepared to be moved from the hospital.
“Anybody that could come, eyes forward. No mention of any sound whatsoever, paying their respects. No one said a word,” Johnson said.
Smith had both physical and spiritual strength, and his faith was at the center of his life and his marriage. That night at the hospital, Johnson and Megan Smith hugged, and she said that she knew where he was.
Smith was a man that loved God and was loved by God. His strength will inspire thousands of people, Johnson said.
“You can know that he’s leaving behind a legacy of strength,” he said. “You can know that he was a man who earned every bit of honor he ever received. You can know that he lived and fought and died as a warrior.”
