Episode Summary
A Catholic priest is found savagely beaten to death in an Odessa, TX motel room in 1981. A man confessed to the crime, but instead of closing the case, people are still left wondering: Was justice served in the murder of Father Patrick Ryan?
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Episode Info
Father Patrick Ryan
James Harry Reyos
Father Benjamin Carrier
Episode Source Material
- The Case of James Harry Reyos: A Wrongful Conviction Revealed, by Scott Lomax
- Austin Chronicle: Who Killed Father Ryan? By Jordan Smith
- A&E American Justice: Shamed Into Confession. Season 23, Episode 9
- Albuquerque Journal: Priest-Slaying Suspect Fights Extradition Try, by Joshua Quittner
- The Kilgore News Herald: Suspect cleared in slaying, by United Press International
- Newsweek: True Confessions–Or False?
- Crossland Foundation: Case study – Rev. Patrick Ryan, by Leon J. Podles
- InsideHook: The Unholy Mystery of the Murdered Priests, by Steve Huff
- Austin Chronicle: Where’s Your Evidence? By Jordan Smith
- Criminal Law Bulletin Vol 37, Number 4: The Truth About False Confessions and Advocacy Scholarship, by Richard A. Leo and Richard J. Ofshe
- The Los Angeles Times: Priest widely known for good deeds found slain, by Paula Parker
- Yuma Sun: Exam yields no new clues
- Arizona Republic: Police stumped for suspect in priest’s slaying. United Press International
- The Los Angeles Times: Police in Yuma confirm that priest was slain, by Paula Parker
- The Los Angeles Times: Slain priest’s truck found in Las Vegas, by Nancy Reed
- Times-Advocate (Escondido, California): Slain priest’s truck found in Yuma, Ariz
- Yuma Sun: YPD notes new leads in 1980s homicide, by James Gilbert
- KYMA News: Almost 40 years later, local murder of priest still unsolved
- The Odessa American: Pleading for justice, by Harry James Reyos
