Patrina Best, a 38-year-old operating room nurse from Accokeek, Maryland, was fatally strangled by a friend she had asked to assist her with moving, on February 17, 2024.
High school football coach, 43-year-old Carl Kearney Jr. from Griffin, Prince George’s County, Maryland, has been charged in relation to the murder of Best. Kearney had been aiding Best in her relocation when the crime occurred.
Responding officers discovered Best unresponsive in the basement of her parent’s home, where she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Best was known for her deep compassion and commitment to her work as a traveling nurse across the United States. Her sister, Gianina Best, shared that Patrina kept most of her belongings at their parent’s home in Maryland and moved them as she changed assignments. Best’s move, planned ahead of a new job in Hawaii, was tragically cut short.
Kearney, after an altercation, strangled Best and fled to Virginia in her car. He attempted to report the crime there but was advised to surrender in Maryland. Kearney returned to the Clinton police station in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and confessed. Kearney claimed a romantic relationship with Best, a notion disputed by Best’s family.
Kearney, a respected football and track coach, now faces first and second-degree murder charges and other related allegations. His arrest stunned his students and athletes who saw him as a mentor.
Kearney is held without bail at the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, Maryland. His family continues to stand by him, represented by attorney Catherine Woolley.
The local State’s Attorney’s Office suggested intermittent romantic involvement between Kearney and Best. Friends and family remember Best for her lively spirit, warmth, and the joy she brought to gatherings.
Best’s professional dedication was evident in her nationwide work, particularly during the pandemic. She significantly impacted lives wherever she went, always accompanied by her white West Highland terrier, Luke.
Best’s love for swimming, cultivated growing up near the shores of Barbados and Hawaii, and further developed as a scholarship athlete on the Georgia Southern Eagles swim team, was a significant part of her life.
Kearney’s next court hearing is scheduled for March 18.