Little league team honors slain coach

Thomas Wall, 34, shot and killed in San Mateo

SAN MATEO, Fla. – A Putnam County Little League team is pulling together and looking to move forward after their coach was found dead? in a San Mateo home.

The mood was somber as the team members gathered for the first practice since they found out their coach, 34-year-old Thomas Wall, better known as Joe, was killed in an unsolved shooting earlier this week.

"It's hard for all of us to understand. Joe was an amazing coach, amazing man, amazing father, all around amazing guy," said parent Desiree Myers.

The first order of business was to choose a new team name. After talking it over, the kids picked a name that would truly honor their coach.

Joe Wall (far right, back row), a Putnam County Little League coach, was killed in San Mateo, according to his family.

News4Jax spoke with Ryan Myers, who plays on the little league team. He said the team is changing its name to the Los Angeles Angels.

"So we can remember our coach," Myers said of the decision.

Grady Wallace was the assistant coach who will lead the team and fill the role of a man the team said everyone loved.

Investigators don't have any suspects in the shooting death. And the kids have just as little to go on, still trying to understand why coach was here last week, but now he's gone.

"We're going to move forward," Wallace said. "That's what he would want us to do, in memory of him. He was the best, kids loved him."

Police are still looking for suspects in the shooting. Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.


About the Authors:

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.

Emmy-nominated journalist Kristin Cason joined the News 6 team in June 2016.