Re: senseless gun violence (previous post) at lunch with Robby on Wednesday, he noted that 25 June was the day that Billy Pratt and Shirley Coffman were shot back in 1973. A third victim Doug Parks was also murdered that night at Billy’s home on Midway Drive in Lexington Park.
They were killed by some guy with whom they had had an altercation with earlier in the day at the old White Point Tavern located down Medley’s Neck. The guy came back to Billy’s house later that evening and shot them execution style.
I knew all three of them: Shirley from growing up in Ridge; Doug from going to Ryken High School with him; and Billy from working with him on Base. All three of them were good people and most certainly did not deserve to go out of here like they did. Although the gunman was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, for some crazy reason there is now talk of him receiving a new trial (click here for related story.) That’s something that should not even be up for consideration.
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| Located at Trinity Church, St. Mary’s City |
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| Located at Friendship Church, Ridge |
Saw where Vincent Bugliosi passed away the other day. His book on the 1969 Manson murders remains one of the most powerful that I have ever read.