Michael Monroe Banks: Florida Father Who Tried to Date His Daughter Allegedly Killed Family Friend Who Interfered
A Florida man accused of killing a woman, shooting two family members, and opening fire on police officers has now been formally indicted on multiple serious charges, including first-degree murder.
Authorities indicted 42-year-old Michael Monroe Banks after a family dispute at a home in Tampa escalated into a deadly shooting.
According to USA TODAY, Tampa police officers were called around 12:45 p.m. on January 17, 2024, to a home near North 23rd Street and East Linebaugh Avenue after a woman called 911 saying she had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found two people outside the home — Banks’ 60-year-old mother and his 17-year-old daughter — both wounded and asking for help. They also told the police that Banks was still inside the house and was armed.
As officers set up a perimeter, Banks was spotted in the backyard but instead of surrendering, he pointed a gun at officers and fired two shots at them.
Officers were forced to return fire, and Banks was taken into custody after surrendering a short time later.
Once police secured the scene, they entered the home and found a woman dead in the kitchen. She was later identified as 52-year-old Josephine Muentus, a long time friend of Banks' mother.
Court documents say she had been shot in the head, and a revolver was found on a table nearby, as per USA TODAY.
According to investigators, the shooting happened because Banks’ mother and Muentus were about forcing Banks to move out of the home.
They reportedly came up with this decision after they learned that Banks was trying to have a “romantic relationship” with his teenage daughter".
They also found a letter where Banks had told his daughter to start a relationship with him and not date anyone else.
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| One message Banks sent his daughter (Source) |
When Banks overheard his mother and her friend talking inside the kitchen about him leaving, he said he felt “betrayed and upset,” leading to the crime, according to court filings.
Bank's mother told police she heard a gunshot and turned to see her friend collapse. She then tried to run but was grazed in the head by a bullet after Banks fired multiple times.
Banks’ daughter told officers she was in the shower when the shooting started. She said she tried to hold the bathroom door shut, but Banks fired through the door at head level, and as she ran, she was shot in the leg.
After the shootings inside the home, Banks reportedly reloaded his revolver and went outside where fired at a police officer before surrendering.
Banks was immediately taken into custody and during a police interview, Banks reportedly admitted writing the letter, as per WTSP.
“No officers or civilians were injured in the shootout,” police confirmed.
Banks now faces multiple charges, including:
- First-degree murder
- Three counts of attempted first-degree murder
- Attempted murder of a law enforcement officer
- Felon in possession of a firearm
Court records show Banks has a violent criminal past. In 2007, he was convicted of aggravated battery on a pregnant woman. He was convicted again in 2010 for felony battery.
Despite being legally barred from owning a firearm, prosecutors say Banks used a muzzle-loader revolver, which he allegedly purchased online about a year before the shooting. These weapons can sometimes be exempt from standard gun restrictions.
Banks remains in jail without bond, according to online court records, and prosecutors have asked the court to keep him detained, citing the danger he poses to the public. His trial is reportedly set to start in August, 2026.
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