Milton Smith

On a warm summer evening in Monroe, Louisiana, a domestic dispute turned fatal, ending the life of 42-year-old Milton Smith. The shooting occurred on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, in the 200 block of North 21st Street, a residential neighborhood in the city. Mr. Smith was a Black man known in his community, and his sudden death left friends and family grappling with a senseless loss.

Just after 10:00 p.m. that night, the Monroe Police Department received calls reporting a shooting. Officers were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered Milton Smith suffering from a severe gunshot wound to his groin. According to investigators, an argument had taken place outside a residence just moments before the shot was fired. Emergency medical services arrived quickly and transported Smith to a nearby hospital for treatment. Despite the urgent efforts of medical staff, his injury was too grave, and he succumbed to the wound, being pronounced dead at the hospital.

Homicide detectives from the Monroe Police Department immediately began their investigation. They processed the scene for evidence and interviewed potential witnesses to piece together the events that led to the shooting. Through their initial work, they determined the incident stemmed from a domestic conflict and were able to quickly identify a person of interest. Police named Rufus Sellers as the primary suspect in Milton Smith's death.

Based on the evidence gathered, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Rufus Sellers on one count of second-degree murder. The Monroe Police Department then asked for the public’s help in locating him, urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact them or Crimestoppers of North Delta. For several weeks, Sellers remained at large as the community mourned the loss of Milton Smith.

The search came to a decisive end in the early morning hours of August 11, 2022. Shortly after 6:00 a.m., detectives with the Monroe Police Department, assisted by the department's SWAT team, executed a planned operation at a residence in the 900 block of Beverly Street in Monroe. They located Rufus Sellers at the address and arrested him without incident.

Sellers was taken into custody and transported to the Ouachita Correctional Center. He was officially booked on the charge of second-degree murder for his alleged role in the shooting death of Milton Smith. As of August 2022, the case against Rufus Sellers was moving forward in the Louisiana justice system, with his arrest marking a significant step for a family seeking answers and accountability. The case remains in the litigation phase as it proceeds through the courts.