Covington parishioners remember murdered pastor as ‘humble and wonderful’

COVINGTON, La. (WGNO) — Father Otis Young is remembered as a humble man, devoted to his parishioners.

The retired priest was identified Monday as one of the two people murdered over the weekend– their bodies were found behind a business in downtown Covington.

Now a memorial is growing outside the church where Father Young was a pastor, St. Peter Catholic Church. One of the notes reads, “Dear Father Otis, I’m sorry for the evil, horrific way you were taken from us.”

St. Tammany Coroner Charles Preston, says the preliminary cause of death is “blunt and sharp force trauma” and it is ruled a homicide.

Preston says it may be a few more days before the identity of the second victim is released, but parishioners believe it to be Ruth Prats, Father Young’s assistant.

The Covington Police Department arrested Antonio Tyson Monday, on charges of first-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping. Investigators have not released any information on why Tyson was arrested, or what evidence links him to the murders.