Church Elder, Mother of 3, Shot Dead in Home 5 Days Before Birthday
Erica Farley went to bed last Saturday night tired. Despite her exhaustion, the mother of three and elder at Until Christ Returns Church in Detroit, was looking forward to her worship service the next morning. She never made it. At 4:50 a.m. Sunday, Erica was shot dead inside her home. She would have been 41 Friday.
In her last public post on Facebook at 8:53 p.m. on Saturday, the God-fearing mom whose profile says she works as a dental assistant, financial services education agent and beauty consultant, celebrated her return home after an apparently exhausting day.
"Home sweet Home ... I is tied boss ... Not tired tied ... Goodnight Church in the am ...," she wrote.
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Several hours later, someone fired shots through a rear window of Erica's home in the 10700 block of Balfour Road near Morang Avenue, according to Click on Detroit. Erica was shot in the neck and died at the scene. A 38-year-old man was also shot and left in serious condition.
Family members don't know why Erica's home was attacked but they grieved her death at a gathering on Thursday as her pastor called on her killer to repent, Fox 2 said.
"Wonderful smile, it would brighten your day, (she) loved the Lord," Erica's cousin Shiquita Smith said. "Erica was a wonderful person. I don't know how else to explain Erica."
Khalid Farley, the late church elder's husband, said he suspects his wife's killer(s) may not even know what they did.
"I'm still in the dark so I have no (answers)," he said. "I just know whatever happened it shouldn't have happened and whoever did this, I don't think they knew what they did."
Raheem Warren, Erica's pastor, urged her killer who is still on the loose to repent.
"The only thing I can say to whoever did it is, just repent," he said. "Ask God for forgiveness."
Early Friday morning he celebrated what would have been her 41st birthday.
"Saying Happy Birthday to the one of the best staff member that a pastor can have. Although your (sic) gone I'm super excited God allowed me to meet her. I've seen her grow in years time and she is truly a woman of God, Happy Birthday Erica Farley Pastor loves you RIHim see you in the Morning," he wrote on Facebook.
Erica's cousin said a part of her Christian ministry was a project called Voices With A Purpose.
"She wanted to give back to young ladies and let them know you have a voice, you are not alone. We are here to mentor you; we are here to love you," Smith said.
Erica's husband and three children now have only one message for her killer: "You know what you did is wrong. Turn yourself in, this family needs justice for her."
A GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $5,000 for Erica's funeral had raised just $850 on Friday.
Visitation for Erica will be held at the Trinity Chapel Funeral Home from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12. Her memorial service will take place at Spirit & Truth Christian Ministries at 11 a.m. Friday April 13.
