Samuel Monroe Jr. has sadly passed away at the age of 52. He was best known for his role as Ilena's cousin in the hit movie Menace II Society. According to his family, Monroe passed away after a battle with Meningitis.
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"Sam's mom, Joyce Patton, told TMZ ... the actor died around 10:24 PM PT on Wednesday at a hospital. She also announced his death on Facebook, saying 'today God called him home' and asking everyone to pray for his family, especially his 3 kids," TMZ reported.
Earlier this year, Monroe was hospitalized with a severe case of meningitis and MRSA pneumonia. He was also dealing with some undisclosed medical issues at the time, as well as a serious lung infection.
Monroe's alleged wife, Shawna Stewart, reportedly has power of attorney. Therefore, she was, and likely is in charge of the actor's finances. According to Stewart, Monroe didn't want his mother to be in control of his estate, nor of decisions regarding his quality of life.
According to TMZ, Patton and Stewart have been locked in a legal battle over this situation. Patton allegedly filed for conservatorship over Monroe. She also questioned the legitimacy of Monroe's marriage to Stewart.
Samuel Monroe Jr. Had 35 Acting Roles in His Career
Monroe began his acting career with his role in Menace II Society. He followed that role up with a two-episode stint on Out All Night before appearing in the 1995 film Tales From The Hood.
A few years later, Monroe played Sam in the spoof comedy Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood. Over the coming years, Monroe appeared in multiple cameos, including the 90s hit sitcom Smart Guy.
More recently, he worked on movies such as Paymen Received, Blood Sacrifice, and The Lick Movie.
Outside of his acting career, Monroe also holds a single credit for working as a producer. Extra'd Out is currently classed as being in pre-production by IMDB. Therefore, due to Monroe's passing, it's unclear if the filming process will continue.
Currently, there are no details regarding any plans for Monroe's funeral.
