‘Real Smart Kid’ Jailed, This Time For Killing Friend

Days after Patrick Dale Walker was accused of trying to kill his ex-girlfriend, a judge lowered his bail from $1 million to $25,000, figuring four days in jail was long enough to “cool off.”

Now, four months later, Walker is back in jail on charges of murdering the 24-year-old woman with a rifle outside the school where she taught.

Looking back Thursday, Justice of the Peace Howard Lilley said he doesn’t believe he was wrong in lowering bail.

Lilley said Walker had no record - “not even a traffic ticket” - and had shown remorse.

“He was a real low-key, mild-mannered young man,” the justice of the peace said. “The kid, from what I understand, is a real smart kid. He was valedictorian of his class. He graduated from college. This was supposedly his first girlfriend.”

Authorities say the 25-year-old unemployed accountant fired a bullet through the back window of Angela Collins’ car as she pulled into Shepherd Elementary School’s parking lot Wednesday for the last day of class. He then approached the car and shot the pre-school teacher at least twice at close range.

He was arrested less than 45 minutes later at the home he shared with his mother.