'Wrong place at the wrong time': 2 Florida teens murdered months apart victims of gang violence, sheriff says

FLAGLER, Fla. - Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said the murders of two teenagers earlier this year are believed to be connected. On Tuesday, he announced the arrests of three suspects in an investigation into their deaths.

Noah Smith, 16, was shot and killed in January of this year while Keymari Hall, 16, was fatally shot in May.  Now three men, Tyrese Patterson, 20, Stephen Monroe, 23, and Devandre Williams, 18, are each facing charges of first-degree murder in Smith's death. Additionally, Williams is being charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder with a firearm in Hall's death. There is also a warrant issued for the arrest of a fourth suspect, Terrell Sampson, 18, for attempted second-degree murder in Smith's death. He remains at large. 

Sheriff Staly believes the killings stemmed from two gangs battling back and forth, but he made it clear that Hall and Smith were not involved in the gangs. 

"The victims of the homicide were good kids; they were innocent victims," said Sheriff Staly during a news conference. "They weren't even the intended target."

Staly said detectives believe that Sampson was actually the target in the deadly shooting of Smith.

"Both cases in the wrong place at the wrong time is what it really was. These are good kids. That’s why I want to emphasize this," he said.

On the evening of Jan. 12, Flagler County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a shooting on South Anderson Street in Bunnell, where Smith was killed. An investigation was started by the Bunnell Police Department and later turned over to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit. The sheriff’s office also led the investigation of the May 3 murder of Hall, who was shot and killed in Bunnell in proximity to Smith’s murder location. Another person was injured in that shooting incident near the intersection of South Pine and East Booe streets.

Detectives said they tracked social media profiles, interactions, messages, comments, and other media to piece together the involvement of all four suspects. During the investigation, detectives said it was also discovered there were two opposing gangs in the county, known as the "Bunnell" side and the "Palm Coast" side. 

"These two groups chose ‘street justice’ to resolve disputes instead of cooperating with law enforcement," the sheriff said.

Patterson, Monroe, and Williams are being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on no bond.  Authorities are asking anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Sampson to contact the sheriff's office or call 911.

"We will not stop until we arrest you and I promise you, you will get caught," Sheriff Staly said.

During Tuesday's news conference, Sheriff Staly introduced new leadership at the Bunnell Police Department which now plans to hand over major cases such as these to the sheriff’s office, which has more resources. New Police Chief David Brannon said he hopes to take a new approach, which includes a community clean-up event this weekend to help connect with the community.

"Showing the residents there the good guys, if you will, that we care about them, we care about their community, and we’re going to do everything we can to clean up their neighborhood as much as possible," he said.