By Page Six | Created at 2026-08-27 14:53:46 | Updated at 2026-09-04 18:33:15
1 week ago
“Menace II Society” actor Samuel Monroe Jr. died Wednesday. He was 52.
Monroe Jr.’s family announced on Facebook that the actor passed away following a battle with meningitis.
“I want to thank all of my facebook family and friends new and old for praying for Samuel Monroe, Jr., my son,” the actor’s mom, Joyce Patton, wrote.
“But today God called him home. Please honor my final request to pray for the family especially his 3 children,” she shared.
Monroe Jr. originally contracted a meningitis infection while working in Las Vegas. For the next few months, the infection worsened because several hospitals allegedly misdiagnosed his condition.
In April, the “Player’s Club” star was hospitalized after the infection spread to his brain and spine, leading to MRSA pneumonia and kidney issues.
The following month, Monroe Jr. began showing temporary signs of hope: he was able to breathe on his own for hours, he was alert and he had stopped dialysis.
However, the actor’s health took a turn for the worse in July when he suffered more than 20 back-to-back seizures.
He also had severe brain swelling and fluid leaks, which led Monroe Jr. to undergo three brain surgeries.
Earlier this month, the “Set It Off” actor was placed on life support in a medically induced coma.
Monroe Jr. kicked off his professional acting career in 1992 when he starred as Dion on the NBC sitcom “Out All Night.”
The following year, Monroe Jr. landed his breakout movie role in the acclaimed drama “Menace II Society.”
The actor starred in several other films and shows, including “Tales from the Hood,” “Murder One,” “Set It Off,” “NYPD Blue,” “Smart Guy,” “The Players’ Club,” “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood” and many more.
Monroe Jr. is survived by his alleged wife, Shawna Stewart, their three children and the actor’s stepdaughter.
Earlier this month, TMZ reported that Monroe Jr.’s mom filed a petition asking to establish a conservatorship for her son. She also questioned whether he was ever legally married to Stewart.
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