Following a three-day trial, Stephen Monroe, 26, was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Noah Smith in January 2022.
Monroe was found guilty of First-Degree Murder with a Firearm. Immediately following the verdict, Judge Dawn Nichols of the Seventh Judicial Circuit sentenced him to mandatory life in prison.
On the evening of January 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. The investigation into the shooting was started by the Bunnell Police Department but later turned 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 couldn’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.”
