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Antonio Tyson Officially Sentenced In Covington Priest And Parishioner Murders
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Antonio Tyson Officially Sentenced In Covington Priest And Parishioner Murders
More than three years after a Covington priest and his longtime friend were kidnapped, murdered, and their bodies burned, Antonio Tyson has officially been sentenced.
Tyson pleaded guilty to the killings of Rev. Otis Young and Ruth Prats, bringing an end to a case that shocked St. Tammany Parish and drew statewide attention.
Under the plea agreement, Tyson will serve two consecutive life sentences for the murders, along with an additional 40-year sentence for obstruction of justice. The sentences will be served consecutively, ensuring he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
The case was originally headed toward a capital murder trial, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. However, District Attorney Collin Sims said that changed after Tyson’s defense team submitted medical evidence showing a history of intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injuries dating back to childhood.
According to Sims, pursuing the death penalty under those circumstances could have created significant constitutional challenges and potentially jeopardized the outcome of the case.
While Tyson avoided a death sentence, officials said he is expected to serve his time among death row inmates or in one of the most restrictive housing units available at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
The murders unfolded in November 2022 when Covington Police began investigating what initially appeared to be a hit-and-run crash. The investigation quickly escalated after officers discovered the vehicle involved belonged to Ruth Prats, who could not be located.
Police later found her phone discarded in a nearby dumpster, prompting a missing persons investigation.
The following day, officers located Prats’ vehicle in a Walgreens parking lot and took Tyson into custody. As investigators dug deeper, they learned that Rev. Otis Young had been with Prats shortly before both disappeared.
Soon after, two burned bodies were discovered behind a building on East Gibson Street.
Investigators later pieced together surveillance footage that allegedly showed Tyson approaching Prats’ residence, returning with what appeared to be a knife concealed behind his back, and entering the home before driving away in Prats’ vehicle.
Authorities say Tyson was later captured on surveillance footage using the stolen vehicle at multiple businesses and purchasing fuel before the vehicle was seen entering the area where the bodies were ultimately discovered.
The case also renewed scrutiny over Tyson’s criminal history. Records show he had recently been released from prison after serving more than three decades of a 40-year sentence for forcible rape, armed robbery, and burglary.
With Tyson now formally sentenced, one of the most disturbing homicide cases in recent St. Tammany Parish history has reached its legal conclusion.
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