June 24th of this year, Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas opened the weight room as he did every other school morning for the past 37 years. But the community would soon be in sorrow and shock after a mindless crime was committed. 7:45 of that very morning, Coach Thomas was shot by a former player, Mark Becker, from close range in the weight room. Twenty students witnessed the incident, but no other people were injured in the act. Thomas was rushed to the Covenant Medical Center and later died at 10:30 a.m. in the emergency room. The fatal shot penetrated his skull.
Coach Thomas with his teamThomas, after 37 years of head coach, had a respectable career record of 292-84, while going 156-31 with Aplington Parkersburg. Among all of Iowa's football head coaches, Thomas's career win count ranks 9th all-time. He led "A-P" to 19 total playoff appearances and won two state titles. He was named the NFL 2005 High School Coach of the Year, as 4 different former players of his are now on an NFL roster, including Jared DeVries, and Aaron Kampman of Green Bay.Mark Becker was arrested shortly after the crime without incident and was later charged with first degree murder. He was an offensive lineman on Thomas's team through 2003. Becker has had a large criminal record, with some charges being: possession of meth and criminal mischief and eluding police forces at speeds up to 90 mph.
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