CHICAGO — A 35-year-old woman from Roseland is facing serious charges after prosecutors say she was linked by DNA to a 2024 carjacking — and then allegedly committed another hijacking just two weeks before she was taken into custody.
Johnetta Smith is now charged in connection with two separate vehicular hijackings, including one where a man was threatened at gunpoint and another involving the violent theft of an elderly man’s vehicle. She’s also facing charges of aggravated fleeing and drug possession after being caught in a stolen vehicle.
First Carjacking: Roseland, April 2024
The first alleged incident took place in the early morning hours of April 21, 2024, near 10900 block of South Edbrooke Avenue. According to court documents:
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A 45-year-old man parked his black 2013 Cadillac CTS in an alley and briefly stepped out to relieve himself.
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At that moment, two suspects — a man and a woman — approached from behind.
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The woman, now identified as Smith, jumped into the driver’s seat while the male suspect entered the passenger side.
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When the victim tried to intervene, the male suspect pulled a handgun and told him, “You don’t want to die tonight.”
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The male assailant then allegedly took the victim’s wallet before both suspects drove away in the Cadillac.
The vehicle was later recovered two days later in the 7100 block of South Ashland, abandoned. Police processed the car for fingerprints and DNA evidence.
DNA Break in the Case
It wasn’t until May 15, 2025 — over a year after the incident — that DNA swabs taken from the Cadillac were matched in a national database to Johnetta Smith, whose listed address is near the location of the carjacking.
Prosecutors say the victim was also able to identify Smith in a photo lineup as the woman who entered his car that night. A DNA match was also found for a male suspect, but the victim could not confirm his identity.
Second Carjacking: May 2025
Shockingly, prosecutors say Smith allegedly committed another carjacking on May 29, 2025, just two weeks after her DNA was matched to the 2024 case — and before she was arrested.
In this second incident:
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Smith was found driving a 2013 Chevy Equinox that had been carjacked from a 71-year-old man, again near the 7100 block of South Ashland.
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She was taken into custody and charged with:
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Vehicular hijacking
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Aggravated fleeing
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Aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle
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Possession of a controlled substance
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Release, Court No-Show, and Arrest
After her arrest, Smith appeared in court on June 2, 2025, and Judge Lindsay Huge granted her release with conditions: a nighttime curfew and electronic monitoring via ankle bracelet.
But within just over two weeks:
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Smith failed to appear in court on June 18.
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A warrant was issued, and Chicago police located her six days later on a sidewalk near 110th and State Street.
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Officers say Smith attempted to flee on foot but was quickly arrested without further incident.
Legal and Community Implications
This case raises fresh concerns about:
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Delayed law enforcement response times due to lab processing lags
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Repeat offenders slipping through gaps in pretrial monitoring
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The vulnerability of elderly carjacking victims in Chicago neighborhoods like Roseland
Community leaders are also questioning how Smith was able to allegedly commit a second hijacking before any charges were filed in the first case, despite being DNA-matched and positively identified by the victim.
Have you or someone you know been impacted by carjackings in Chicago? What do you think should be done to prevent repeat offenses like these? Share your thoughts at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com and stay updated on local public safety news that matters to you.
