Housekeeper's husband arrested in murder of Los Angeles Catholic bishop
Authorities investigating the killing of a beloved Southern California bishop have arrested the husband of a woman who worked as a housekeeper for the victim.
Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell was killed on Feb. 18 at a home owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles after he was shot, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna announced at a press conference Monday.
According to Luna, investigators identified Carlos Medina as a suspect in the killing.
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While no motive was disclosed, Luna said Medina claimed O’Connell owed him money and was reported to exhibit odd behavior following the shooting.
Investigators were able to identify Medina from security camera footage, and weapons were recovered from Medina’s home, according to Luna.
Upon arriving on the scene, Luna said investigators found O’Connell with “at least one gunshot wound to the upper body.” There were no signs of forced entry at the residence.
While neighbors told investigators they did not hear any gunshots before first responders arrived, Luna said a church deacon went to the residence to check on O’Connell after he was late for a meeting.
Luna said investigators are “absolutely interviewing” a housekeeper that worked for O’Connell.
“As far as we know at this time, she’s been fully cooperative,” he said.
It’s not clear whether the housekeeper was hired by the archdiocese or by O’Connell personally.
Medina is being held on $2 million bail.
In an emotional press conference Monday, Archbishop Jose Gomez fought back tears as he spoke of “Bishop Dave” and his lasting legacy on the community.
“Out of his love for God, he served this city for more than 40 years as an immigrant from Ireland,” said Gomez, who affectionately recalled the bishop as being “fluent in Spanish with an Irish accent.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released a statement Monday, which read in part, “We can only imagine how the community is suffering because of this senseless murder. Bishop O'Connell was a guiding light for so many, and his legacy will continue to live on through the community that he helped build.”
Known for his peacemaking efforts and work with low-income and immigrant communities, O’Connell, who was born in 1953 in County Cork, Ireland, was appointed as an auxiliary bishop in 2015 by Pope Francis, and he had been serving as a priest and bishop in L.A. County for almost 50 years.
He was also the chairman of the interdiocesan Southern California Immigration Task Force, which coordinated the Catholic Church’s response to immigrant children and families from Central America in recent years.
A prayer service and vigil were held near O'Connell's home on Sunday afternoon, hosted by the Sacred Heart Church.
Jonny Flores, a resident of Rowland Heights who had known O’Connell, remembered him as a bishop who was always generous with his time in resolving parishioners' issues.
“He didn’t hold back his words. He was well spoken,” Los Angeles Times quoted Flores as saying. “He would take the time. He was very humble. He was never too busy.”
