Orange County authorities have taken 38-year-old Jeremy Jamal Smith into custody for a homicide that occurred six months prior near the Florida Mall. The victim of the July 2024 shooting, Monique Jade Brooks, was found deceased from a gunshot wound on the 8200 block of S Orange Blossom Trail, as WFTV reported. Deputies engaged in a lengthy investigation that, with no small amount of diligence, pinpointed Smith as the prime suspect in the death of Ms. Brooks, who was also known as Robert Ramon Thomas.
Law enforcement previously responded to the scene in the pre-dawn hours of July 19, 2024, after reports of firearms being discharged. Brooks was rushed to a local hospital but did not survive the violent encounter. Meanwhile, Smith had been in jail on unrelated charges of cocaine possession and distribution, detailed in records from the Orange County court. The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrest but has kept a tight lid on the finer details of the case. According to Orlando News, Smith has declined to be interviewed by detectives and is now facing first-degree murder charges.
Smith was arrested last Friday after refusing to speak with a homicide detective who visited him at the Orange County Booking and Release Center. He remains in custody at the Orange County Jail, awaiting trial. Currently, court records indicate that the Office of the Public Defender represents him.
