A routine afternoon in Florence turned fatal on October 24, 2023, when 72-year-old Stephen E. Stamates was shot while inside his vehicle near Ewing Boulevard and U.S. 42. First responders found two vehicles in the roadway and Stamates with a gunshot wound; he was airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and later pronounced deceased.

Police encountered 44-year-old Travis Marks of Walton at the scene, found him in possession of a pistol, and say he admitted to shooting Stamates. Marks was taken into custody without incident and has been charged with murder. The Florence Police Department’s Detective Unit is investigating the circumstances of what authorities have described as a possible road rage incident.

Stamates’ obituary describes him as active in his community and a retiree of the Ford Motor Stamping Plant. If anyone witnessed the shooting or saw activity near Ewing Boulevard and U.S. 42 on October 24, contact the Florence Police Department with information.