BUNNELL, Fla. – An Oak Hill man was sentenced to life in prison Friday after being convicted of murdering a Bunnell teenager in 2022, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
According to deputies, Stephen Monroe, 26, was found guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm and sentenced for the murder of Noah Smith, 16.
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On 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 the sheriff’s office.
Deputies said three others — Tyrese Patterson, Devandre Williams, and Terrell Sampson — were also arrested and charged in Smith’s murder.
MORE | 3 indicted on 1st-degree murder charge in death of Flagler County teenager
Williams was convicted and sentenced in Smith’s and 16-year-old Keymarion Hall’s murder in September 2024.
Social media footprints played a large role in evidence gathering and showing pre-meditation, the Sheriff’s Office said. Investigators said multiple social media profiles, interactions, messages, comments, aggressive music content and pictures were used to piece together the alleged involvement of all four suspects.
“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.”