Who is Audrey Hale’s partner? Her secretive love life exposed

The motive behind Audrey Hale’s murder of three children and three staff at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, remains a mystery. Nevertheless, it seems like Audrey planned the attack meticulously, stockpiling weapons, studying her target, and writing a manifesto. 

Audrey had no confirmed partner, but it seems like she harbored feelings for a former classmate

Audrey kept her love life private. Thus, we’ve found no evidence suggesting that she was dating. The most plausible assumption is that Audrey Hale was single. 

The Daily Mail reports that Audrey came out as gay and transgender, much to the disgust of her Christian parents, who barred her from expressing her sexual and gender identities in the household. “Their religion does not allow them to accept homosexuality,” a source told the outlet. 

“She was Audrey at home but when she left the house she changed clothes. They did know about it, they just didn’t accept it.”

Texts sent by Audrey minutes before the shooting suggest she harbored feelings for her former classmate, Paige Patton, a radio host. “This is my last goodbye,” Audrey messaged Patton on Instagram. “I love you. See you again in another life.” Patton told Audrey, who’d signed off as ‘Aiden’, that she had more life to live. 

Audrey and Patton were classmates and basketball teammates in middle school. Patton told ABC News that she and Audrey chatted occasionally, but she considered her more an acquaintance than a friend. 

Audrey attended events Patton hosted in Nashville and posted drawings of Patton on social media. The following text by Audrey to Patton indicates that Audrey viewed Patton as more than a friend:

“I don’t want to live, I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to upset you or get attention, I just need to die. I wanted to tell you first because you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen and known all my life.”

“One day this will make more sense. I’ve left more than enough evidence behind,” Audrey continued. Patton contacted someone at the suicide prevention line, who recommended that she contact authorities. The authorities said they’d send someone to review the messages, Patton said. 

By the time the person arrived, the shooting had already happened. Patton told NewsChannel5 that she doesn’t understand why Audrey chose to inform her about the impending massacre:

“I am trying to wrap my mind around it all, how I’m involved, how I’m sent the message. I got a lot of questions and I’m giving them to God. Spiritually it’s eating me, it’s eating me alive right now right now because I’m trying to make God help me wrap my mind around what, what is this God.”