(MEMPHIS) Most people knew Jimmy McClain from the work on the basketball court. He was one of the coaches of the boy’s basketball team at Ridgeway High, one of the best teams in the state.
According to sources, McClain didn’t show up to work at Ridgeway way for days, and didn’t call. The sheriff’s office went to his home in Cordova Friday morning and apparently found him dead.
He played basketball in college with Scottie Pippen, shot hoops all over the world before coming back to teach other. But Gene Cooper and people at this Senatobia church knew him differently. They knew him as pastor.
“I really had to pull over to get myself together it was really a shock man”, said Cooper.
Cooper looked back over photos of his former pastor. He said McClain left the church last year because he was going through a divorce.
The sheriff’s office won’t say much about how he was found dead. It’s the sheriff’s department’s first murder case of the year.
We reached out to Scottie Pippen who said he’s still coping with the loss of his former teammate, but he was a good man.
UPDATE: Deputies want to hear from anyone who may have seen anyone unusual in the area Wednesday night between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. If you have any information that could help investigators, call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH.
