Pretty Tragic-Former Louisiana Tech baseball coach involved in murder-suicide

RUSTON -- Former Louisiana Tech baseball coach Pat "Gravy" Patterson killed his wife, then himself, Ruston authorities confirm.
A police report wasn't immediately available from the incident, which occurred at a Ruston assisted-living facility this morning.

But authorities this morning say Patterson's wife Glenda, an Alzheimer's sufferer, had been a resident of the Arbor for two weeks. Police were called about a shooting inside the facility today at 7:14 a.m., they said.Both bodies were found later. A Louisiana Tech athletic Hall of Fame member, Patterson is the winningest baseball coach in school history. Head coach from 1967-1990, Patterson's record was 741-462-2. Patterson also served as an assistant football coach at Tech. Patterson is credited with a 1-0 record as he stepped in as interim football coach for Tech in 1979.

“When I came (to Tech) in 1974, he was the first coach I was really involved with,” said longtime Tech radio broadcaster Dave Nitz. “He took me in and was always like a father figure to me. He would have a recruiting trip and would take me with him. He was Tech through and through.

Nobody loved Louisiana Tech more than he did.”After starting his coaching career at Ouachita Parish High School, Patterson moved on to Byrd High School in Shreveport in 1963 before joining Tech’s athletics department in 1967 as an assistant football coach.Patterson served as both football assistant and head baseball coach at Tech from 1968-78 before giving up the football role. Patterson did return to the gridiron in 1979 for one game, serving as Tech’s interim coach and leading the Bulldogs to a 13-10 win over rival Northeast Louisiana, now known as ULM.He recorded 18 winning seasons in 23 seasons as Tech’s baseball coach and posted five 40-win seasons. Patterson was a seven-time conference Coach of the Year and the District VI Coach of the Year in 1974.

I hate to hear this. I got to meet him on a number of occasions. I will keep him ,his wife, and family in my prayers today. It seems to me that what happened is he thought he would her suffering an then join her. Despite what I am reading on some boards this is not like "Romeo and Juliet".

I am not going to cast stones here. People do things under duress. However I do think it shows that people in families need to keep their elders in focus and MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. Too often in this youth oriented culture we ignore the people we should be listening too the most. I am guilty of that too.

I suspect The News Star World will have more coverage during the day.