Patrick Orr

Patrick Orr was a beloved figure in his Mobile, Alabama, community, known for his humor and kindness. A 53-year-old Black man, he had worked as a janitor for the local school system for 27 years, serving at Florence-Howard and Murphy schools. His family and friends remembered him as a sweet and compassionate person who never harmed anyone. "Everybody knew my daddy," his daughter said. "He always been the funny type- he’d joke with you, play with you." A neighbor added, "This world needs 5 million more Patrick Orrs."

On the afternoon of April 7, 2023, Orr was walking through his neighborhood on the 1000 block of Elmira Street when a man later identified as Samuel Grace pulled up in a vehicle. The two men engaged in a brief physical altercation, after which Grace left the scene. He returned a short time later, however, and fired five gunshots at Orr.

Police responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 6:43 p.m. and found Orr lying on a lawn with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Investigators soon located Samuel Grace, also 53, at Springhill Medical Center, where he was receiving treatment for injuries he had sustained in the earlier fight with Orr. Following their investigation, Mobile police arrested Grace and charged him with murder. He was then transported to the Metro Jail to await trial.

After hearing days of testimony, a Mobile County jury deliberated for several hours. In August 2025, the jury found Samuel Grace guilty of the intentional murder of Patrick Orr.