Memphis Man Who Murdered Associate Sentenced Federally for Felony Firearm Possession

Memphis, TN – A Memphis man who murdered a neighborhood associate has been sentenced to federal prison for felony firearm possession. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on May 23, 2014, Marlon Boyd, 46, of Memphis, Tennessee, shot and killed Michael Richard following an argument. Boyd’s cousin was present during the shooting. Boyd threatened to kill his cousin, too, if he informed law enforcement of what he witnessed. The shooting reportedly occurred steps from Boyd’s cousin’s house in South Memphis.

Two days following the shooting, on May 25th, Memphis Police officers visited a South Memphis apartment to execute a search warrant on Boyd for first-degree murder. After officers knocked on the door and announced their presence, Boyd ran to a bedroom and hid. After several commands by police to surrender, Boyd came out of the apartment and was arrested. Officers subsequently searched the bedroom and recovered two loaded firearms: a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver and a Ruger .357 caliber revolver.

On August 5, 2016, Boyd was convicted in state court of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Richard, among other charges.

In April 2016, Boyd was convicted in federal court of felony possession of two firearms.

On Friday, August 12, 2016, U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Boyd to 120 months in federal prison.

Boyd’s federal sentence will be served consecutive to his sentence in state court. Boyd faces life without parole when he is sentenced in state court in September.

This case was investigated by the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and Memphis Police Department’s Homicide Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marques Young and Dean DeCandia prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.