FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — An Oak Hill man was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Bunnell teenager in 2022.
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26-year-old Stephen Monroe was found guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm and was immediately sentenced to mandatory life in prison for the murder of 16-year-old Noah Smith.
On the evening of Jan. 12, 2022, Monroe, who was 23 at the time, was involved in a drive-by shooting during which Smith, an innocent bystander, was shot and killed, according to a release.
Officers believe Smith and another teenager, 16-year-old Keymarion Hall, who was also shot in a drive-by shooting on May 2022 in Flagler, were caught in the middle of a beef between two groups that included drive-by shootings and taunts over social media and in rap songs.
The Bunnell Police Department started the investigation into the shooting but later turned it over to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Three others — Tyrese Patterson, Devandre Williams, and Terrell Sampson — were also arrested and charged in Smith’s murder.
Williams was convicted and sentenced in September 2024.
“This killer was offered the deal of a lifetime by the prosecutor but decided to roll the dice. Just like in Vegas, most people lose and this killer did too,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I thank our Major Case Unit detectives, CSI, and our entire team for making a case. While we can’t bring Noah back, I had promised Noah’s family that we would get his killers and hold them accountable. This conviction and sentence is one step closer to making sure that they are all in prison for the rest of their lives.”
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