Former parish employee identified as second victim of Louisiana double homicide

Boston, Mass., Dec 1, 2022 / 15:32 pm

The second victim in a Louisiana double homicide that also claimed the life of a local Catholic priest, Father Otis Young, has been identified. 

Ruth Prats, a 73-year-old former staff member who worked for Young when he was pastor at St. Peter Catholic Church in Covington, was identified as the second victim, St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Charles Preston announced Thursday in a press conference.

Young’s death, which was confirmed Tuesday, was caused by “sharp- and blunt-force trauma,” the coroner’s office said. 

The homicides both occurred either Sunday night or Monday morning, the coroner’s office said. It was reported that both Young and Prats were reported missing on Sunday. 

The two bodies were found together “burned beyond recognition” less than a mile away from the church, according to police. The bodies were found in a back alley behind a glass store in downtown Covington, according to Sergeant James Hartman, a spokesman for the Covington Police Department. 

On Monday evening, police announced that they had taken a suspect, 49-year-old Antonio Donde Tyson of Covington, into custody.

Tyson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree kidnapping, two counts of obstruction of justice, one count of resisting an officer, and one count of illegal possession of stolen things. 

Fox8live.com reported that Tyson was released from prison in August after serving part of a sentence he received in 1993. The outlet reported that he was serving time for charges of forcible rape and home invasion. 

There is no evidence that suggests that the suspect and the victims knew each other, Hartman said.

The St. Tammany Parish district attorney’s office said law enforcement is still investigating the matter. 

The office offered this statement: “All capital cases submitted to our office undergo a thorough review process before a decision is made regarding the pursuit of the death penalty. That review process begins once law enforcement officially tenders the case to our office by submitting a complete report of its investigation of the alleged offense.”

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond released a statement Wednesday offering prayers for both Young and Ruth Prats. At the time of the statement, Prats was not revealed as the second victim of the double homicide. She was, however, still listed as a missing person.

“The horror of the events that have unfolded here in Covington is beyond shocking. The pain, sadness, and disbelief that something like this could happen will stay with us, but particularly those who are most directly affected, for a very long time,” Aymond said in the statement. His full statement can be read here.

‘You taught us how to carry our crosses’

Young retired as a priest in July. Before his retirement, Prats offered a personal reflection on Young before a Mass for Young at St. Peter Catholic Church in June. The reflection can be watched in this YouTube video posted by the church. 

Addressing Young, Prats said: “It was an absolute gift to work with you as your pastoral associate for eight of the 10 years you were here at St. Peter parish.”

Prats reminisced over the wonderful renovations and improvements that Young brought to the church. She even reflected on Young’s joyful sense of humor. 

Prats said that “the greatest legacy” that Young would leave the parish is his example in showing the parishioners how to suffer. 

“You taught us how to carry our crosses,” Prats said. During her speech, she mentioned that she felt called to volunteer in a caretaking role for Young as his health declined, which led her to leave her role as a church staff member.

She described her time taking care of Young as “the most humble service” and said she was grateful.

In her speech, Prats mentioned a “sacred moment” when a glimpse of Young’s inner prayer life was revealed to the parish. The moment was when Young shared a prayer he prays before Mass to some young children making their first holy Communion. 

According to Prats, the prayer is: “Lord, grant me the grace to celebrate this Mass as if it was my first Mass, as if it was my last Mass, and as if it was my only Mass.”

“May Father Otis’ personal prayer become our prayer today at this Mass and from this day forward when we celebrate Mass,” she said.

“May we pass this prayer down to generations and to all who enter our doors here at St. Peter’s,” she said. “It will be in that prayer, his private prayer, that we will remember, Father Otis, that you walked in our midst as our pastor here at St. Peter’s and you touched our lives profoundly.”

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