Franklin Monroe, a 21-year-old male from Hope Mills, North Carolina, tragically lost his life on March 21, 2020. Monroe was one of two victims in a fatal shooting that occurred late Saturday night near the intersection of Ajax Drive and Tower Drive in Hope Mills. The other victim was 16-year-old Cameron Emery, a teenager from Fayetteville. Both Monroe and Emery were found with fatal gunshot wounds at a gas station on NC Highway 87 South after seeking help from a marked patrol car parked there.
A third victim, a girl whose age was not released, was also shot and injured while attempting to flee the scene.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of 20-year-old Sterling James Straughter, also from Hope Mills. Straughter was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. He was held in the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond. The shooting was reportedly linked to a marijuana deal gone wrong. Straughter had arranged to meet Monroe through Instagram messages to buy marijuana. During the transaction, shots were fired, resulting in the deaths of Monroe and Emery. The female survivor managed to escape and call for help.
In June 2022, Straughter pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of three years and two months in prison, with a maximum sentence of four years and ten months. He also received a suspended sentence for assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury. As part of his plea deal, Straughter agreed to testify against his co-defendant, Xavier Bethea, who was also implicated in the shooting. The case highlighted the dangers of illegal drug transactions and the devastating impact of gun violence on the community.
