Authorities are not releasing a motive in this week’s brutal double homicide of a retired priest and a longtime church worker at St. Peter catholic church in Covington.
Covington Police Lieutenant Kevin Collins says Father Otis Young and Pastoral associate Ruth Prats were standing outside in the neighborhood on Sunday when they casually passed words with the suspect Antonio Donde Tyson. Moments later things took a drastic turn.
“The subject circled back and speaks to Prats and Young for a few moments, at 4:09 PM the subject is seen walking to Prats front door with what appears to be a knife being held behind his back in a crouch position and appears to enter Ruth Prats residence,” said Collins.
Collins says the bodies of Young and Prats were found Monday morning behind a business in downtown Covington burned beyond recognition.
St. Tammany Parish Coroner Charles Preston says the autopsies confirmed the cause of death.
“Ms. Prats’ cause of death is blunt force trauma, Ms. Prats’ manner of death is homicide. Father Otis Young who was previously identified cause of death was sharp and blunt force trauma, manner of death homicide,” said Preston.
Ruth was a member of the St. Peter church for decades, as a minister and pastoral assistant while Young led the church as the pastor for 10 years. Father Daniel Brouillette, the current pastor of St. Peter says the two victims were passionate about the community.
“Ms. Ruth was so well known, loved, and same goes for Father Otis pastor of then years very loved, incredibly dedicated and he lived for his people,” said Brouillette.
Authorities say they arrested Tyson in Prats’ vehicle at a Walgreens, but detectives do not believe Tyson knew his victims before Sunday’s deadly encounter.
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