As questions remain unanswered about the motive in a Northshore double homicide, the community of Covington on Monday laid Reverend Otis Young Jr. to rest. On Nov. 28th, Covington Police discovered the body of the 71-year-old priest along with that of 73-year-old Ruth Prats behind a downtown Covington business in the 600 block of East Gibson Street. Investigators say both bodies had been burned beyond recognition. The suspect in the murders, 49-yeard old Antonio Tyson, was arrested on the same day authorities found the victims. Covington Police say surveillance video showed Tyson riding his bike past Ruth Prats’ home on the previous day. Authorities say Father Young was with Prats that day. According to investigators, the surveillance video later showed Tyson walking up to Prats’ front door with what appeared to be a knife behind his back and then entering the home. Police say Tyson was then seen at several businesses in Prats’ car and later seen on security footage filling up a canister of gasoline while in that car. Tyson faces multiple charges including two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree kidnapping.
Prats and Father Young were said to be friends, and both were closely tied to the Catholic community in Covington. Prats was a longtime pastoral assistant at St. Peter Catholic Church. Father Young served as the pastor of that church for a decade and retired earlier this year. Father Young came to the priesthood in the latter portion of his life. At the age of 49, the former accountant was ordained. Over a span of 20 years as a priest, Young forged strong bonds with his peers and parishioners. On Monday, many of them remembered his life of service as they tried to process the horror of how he was taken, listen to my story: