58-year-old pastor died after the 42-year-old woman he got into an argument about religion with retrieved a gun from her vehicle and shot him to death; woman charged
Tennessee – In a shocking incident in Tennessee that began as a heated debate over religion, a beloved 58-year-old local pastor, identified as R. Floyd, lost his life outside a bar after being shot to death by a 42-year-old woman, identified as S. Marion, whom he had never met before that night. Marion has now been indicted on second-degree murder, along with employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, after prosecutors say she retrieved a gun from her vehicle and used it to kill Floyd during an escalating confrontation in a parking lot.
Initially charged with voluntary manslaughter, Marion’s charges were upgraded after a grand jury reviewed surveillance footage and testimony suggesting Floyd may have been backing away at the time he was shot—casting doubt on her self-defense claims. The deadly encounter unfolded outside a local bar during the early hours of March 12, just after closing time. Marion and Floyd, strangers until that night, got into an intense argument that witnesses say began inside the bar and spilled outside. The topic of the dispute, according to reports, was religion.
Police reviewed surveillance footage that showed Floyd throwing Marion’s phone to the ground and hurling a beer can in the parking lot. He then began to leave in his car—but stopped, got out, and walked back toward Marion, who was recording him on her cellphone. As he approached, Marion pulled a firearm from her vehicle and shot him. Prosecutors say Floyd was actually backing away from Marion at the time the fatal shot was fired. They cited security footage and the testimony of C. Boyd, the first officer to arrive at the scene, who testified during a preliminary hearing in June. Boyd said Marion’s self-defense claim was inconsistent with the evidence, particularly since she had left the scene briefly to retrieve her gun. In his words, if she felt truly threatened, “she could have left.”
Marion’s attorney disputes that version of events. He said the video recorded by Marion shows Floyd advancing toward her aggressively, and that she gave verbal warnings before firing, including telling Floyd to back up. They emphasized that this is Marion’s first offense and that she has otherwise lived a law-abiding life. “She defended herself when she was facing grave, grave danger. Because of that, she is hurled into the criminal justice system, hopefully for a short period of time.” Still, questions remain about what exactly unfolded in those final seconds. The attorney has claimed that some details of the incident were left out of the official arrest affidavit, though those specifics have not been confirmed by prosecutors.
Floyd was more than just a faith leader. He was a senior lead pastor and founder of a nonprofit committed to spiritual growth and community support. Friends, parishioners, and family members have been left stunned by the sudden loss of a man who spent his life guiding others through faith. His killing has left deep wounds in a community that remembers him for his passion, leadership, and commitment to change. Marion remains free on $100,000 bond as she awaits trial. No court date has been set. The case now moves forward, balancing claims of self-defense against video evidence and eyewitness testimony in a courtroom that will have to decide whether a verbal dispute warranted deadly force.
