Marvell Williamson was an "amazing Father, Husband, Brother, Son" who was known as the "life of the party & the funnest person in any room he stepped into." A 50-year-old Black man from Memphis, Tennessee, his life was tragically cut short on December 9, 2021, when an act of compassion placed him in the path of violence.
That evening, Williamson was at a BP gas station on Riverdale Drive when he saw a man assaulting a woman. According to a police affidavit, a woman who was in a relationship with the man told officers they had been arguing when he began hitting her with a closed fist. Williamson chose to intervene, which led to a brief altercation between him and the other man. The confrontation escalated, and Williamson was shot.
When police arrived, they found Williamson on the floor of the gas station store with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Regional One Hospital but was pronounced dead. His family, who described his death as an "unexpected tragedy" and a "huge loss," asked for prayers as they navigated their grief.
The investigation led police to a suspect the very next day. On December 10, 2021, officers located 37-year-old Ricky Suell on Ridgeway Road. According to the affidavit, Suell provided a statement to investigators, admitting that he had assaulted the woman and had shot Marvell Williamson during their altercation.
Ricky Suell was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and domestic assault. The case against him entered the judicial system. As of the last available reports in December 2021, the case remained pending.
