Family, friends and parishioners of Ricky Floyd will gather at Greater Imani Church Friday, March 28, to celebrate the life of the late senior pastor of Pursuit of God Church.
Floyd co-founded the ministry with his wife, Sheila, in 2002. He was also pastor of the nonprofit Salvation Revelation Ministries.
The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m., with a viewing from 10–10:55 a.m., at Greater Imani Church, 3824 Austin Peay Highway. R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home, 3651 Austin Peay, will host a viewing Thursday, March 27, from 5–7 p.m.
Floyd, 58, was shot and killed March 12, following a verbal dispute with a woman outside Momma’s bar and diner, at 855 Kentucky St., around 1 a.m. The establishment was closed at the time.
Samantha Marion, 42, was charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter after the shooting. She was released from the Shelby County Jail on a $100,000 bond March 18. She was denied a bond reduction and is represented by attorneys John Keith Perry and Kevin Massey.
According to Perry, Marion met Floyd at the bar that evening. What started as a biblical discussion soon turned heated when Marion questioned Floyd, who had been distributing pamphlets to patrons, about the propriety of a minister handing out materials at a bar at 1 a.m.
Angered, Floyd eventually took his publications and went outside, Perry said.
When Marion exited the establishment, the argument reignited. Video footage of the incident captured a bystander attempting to separate the pair. Floyd then threw Marion’s phone, along with a can of beer, before entering his vehicle.
As Floyd drove away, Marion began recording with her phone. Floyd stopped the car, got out, and confronted her.
After a witness separated the pair, Floyd allegedly began walking toward Marion.
“I’m telling you three times, back the (expletive) up,” Marion says in the footage.
Undeterred, Floyd moved forward in an aggressive manner, grabbing for Marion’s phone. The footage shows the pastor clutching his chest and falling to the ground.
Marion reported the incident to police, and a single shell casing was recovered at the scene. Perry has also denied social media rumors that Marion, 42, and Floyd knew each other before the argument.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has recused himself from the case. Floyd had previously worked on a commission that assisted the DA’s office. A commission of district attorneys is expected to appoint another prosecutor from within the state.
Marion’s next court date is Wednesday, March 26.
