Man Pleads Guilty To 2022 Murders Of Father Otis Young And Ruth Prats In Covington

A St. Tammany Parish man accused in the 2022 killings of Father Otis Young and Ruth Prats has pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder and one count of obstruction of justice, according to District Attorney J. Collin Sims.

Officials announced Tuesday that Antonio Tyson entered the guilty pleas with the agreement of both victims’ families. Under the plea agreement, Tyson is expected to receive two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, along with an additional 40 year sentence for obstruction of justice. Prosecutors say the sentences will all run consecutively.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 8, 2026.

The District Attorney’s Office had previously sought the death penalty in the case. However, prosecutors said medical evidence presented by the defense raised concerns regarding Tyson’s intellectual impairment and traumatic brain injury under standards established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Atkins v. Virginia, which limits the use of capital punishment in certain cases involving intellectual disabilities.

According to the agreement, Tyson also waived any future attempts to seek sentence reductions or release mechanisms. Prosecutors stated he will be housed under conditions equivalent to death row confinement.

Father Otis Young and Ruth Prats were killed in Covington in November 2022. Their deaths shocked the Northshore community and drew widespread attention across Louisiana. Investigators previously said the victims’ bodies were found burned beyond recognition.

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