Stephen Monroe Convicted of Murder, Sentenced to Life

Stephen Monroe, the man charged with the murder of a teenager three years ago, has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison at the end of a three-day trial in Bunnell. Monroe was charged with first degree murder for the killing of 16-year-old Noah Smith in January 2022. Monroe, 26, faced a mandatory life prison sentence with his conviction. Monroe’s sentencing came from Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols who presided over his murder trial. The Oak Hill resident evaded law enforcement capture for some time after Smith’s killing, before finally being booked into the Flagler County jail in May 2022. He’s been in custody ever since, and his conviction and sentencing this week can finally bring some semblance of closure to Smith’s family. According to reports from law enforcement, Monroe was part of a drive-by shooting on January 12th, 2022 in Bunnell. Noah Smith was gunned down in the incident, an innocent bystander to the dispute which Monroe was said to be acting upon. “I met some of Noah’s family shortly after this tragedy occurred,” said State Attorney R.J. Larizza. “I am grateful we were able to hold the individuals responsible for his death accountable. We are relentless in our quest to rid our communities of those who engage in gun violence. They deserve nothing less.” “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,” added Flagler 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.”