Woman Claims She Fatally Shot Pastor Ricky Floyd by Mistake During Dispute
Samantha Marion, a 42‐year‐old woman charged with voluntary manslaughter in the death of Pastor Ricky Floyd, told police that the fatal shooting on March 12, 2025, occurred accidentally during a dispute outside a Memphis bar. Floyd, the late senior pastor of Pursuit of God Church, was shot outside Momma’s Bar and Kitchen on Kentucky Road.
Court Hearing and First Responder Testimony
At a recent preliminary hearing, Marion appeared in court while a special district attorney presented evidence from the first officer on the scene, Patrolman Cordell Boyd. Boyd recounted that when he arrived, Marion was murmuring something akin to “Lord help.” When asked where the shooter was, she reportedly responded, “It’s me.”
Boyd detailed a conversation in which Marion explained that when confronted by Floyd, she retrieved her firearm from her car. She claimed to have kept warning the approaching victim to “back, back” until, in a moment of panic, she removed the gun from safety and accidentally discharged it. Boyd also noted that if she had truly felt endangered, she could have left the area.
Defense Remarks and Additional Incident Details
Marion’s attorney, John Keith Perry, did not present any witnesses during the hearing, emphasizing that the prosecution bears the burden of establishing probable cause. He pointed out that discrepancies exist between the affidavit and the events as described, noting that the affidavit fails to mention certain aspects of the altercation—including additional confrontations that occurred and actions by other individuals involved.
According to Perry, just prior to the incident, Pastor Floyd had engaged in an argument with a client and another individual over questions of moral authority while he was distributing religious materials. Perry explained that Floyd abruptly departed the bar after snatching his tracts away, and later confronted Marion outside. During this encounter, an intervening man was knocked to the ground, allegedly as a result of Floyd’s actions, which then escalated into the tragic shooting.
Sequence of Events and Evidence
Police reports indicate that Marion placed a 911 call around 1:17 a.m., during which she admitted to shooting Floyd. Surveillance footage reportedly captures moments before the shooting, including Floyd tossing Marion’s phone and a beer can before getting into his vehicle. Later, Marion’s own recording appears to document Floyd exiting his car and confronting her, followed by an altercation that ended with Floyd falling to the ground, never to rise again.
Court Decision and Next Steps
After reviewing the evidence, the judge determined that there was sufficient probable cause to charge Marion with voluntary manslaughter. The case will now be presented to a grand jury, and Marion remains free on a bond set at $100,000.
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