I lived in the town 8 miles down. I graduated over 25 years ago and Coach Thomas was there back then. He always had his teams ready to play and we were always the season opener.
It appears that Becker, who killed him, was caught up heavily in drugs toward the end. Witnesses mentioned he yelled things about satan as he drove away from the shooting. It is all very sad as the Becker family and Thomas family were members of the same church. Thomas had stood up for Becker in the past when there had been problems.
Another really sad part is that Becker’s younger brother will be a senior on this years team! The good that has come out is the outpouring of love and forgiveness and prayers by the people not only for the Thomas family but also for the Becker family. You have to understand these small towns everyone knows everybody (1100 people) so it is much more traumatic then in big cities (in terms of the entire community being effected)
I assume Dike or New Hartford?
It is all very sad as the Becker family and Thomas family were members of the same church.
Yep. My dad was pastor of that church for several years.