MURDERED: Irene Garza
When a young woman seemingly vanishes on Easter weekend after an evening spent giving her confession at her local church, the authorities go on an all-out search for the young 23-year-old. It doesn’t take long before her body appears in a nearby canal… but little does the community know that this cover-up goes higher than they could ever imagine, and lasts decades…
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National Sexual Violence Resource Center
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests helped people who’ve been sexually abused by spiritual elders. You can find them online at www.nsvrc.org, or call them at 877-762-7432.
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Episode Source Material
- Garza Offense reports (1960): https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Garza-Offense-report.pdf
- Garza autopsy Report (1960): https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Garza-autopsy.pdf
- 48 Hours: Sins of the Father (Season 31, Episode 18). Aired January 27, 2018. Accessed August 19, 2024 via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBVH5obMP10
- ABC 7 Eyewitness News (Los Angeles, CA): What to know about the Los Angeles Catholic Church’s $880M settlement with sexual abuse victims by AP News. Published October 19, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://abc7.com/post/what-know-los-angeles-catholic-churchs-880-million-settlement-sexual-abuse-victims/15444261/
- CBS News: 48 Hours: The Last Confession, by Richard Schlesinger. Published April 16, 2016. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irene-garza-murder-former-priest-john-feit-arrested-in-beauty-queens-1960-murder/
- CBS News: 48 Hours: Inside the trial of former priest charged with 1960 murder of Texas schoolteacher, by Richard Schlesinger. Published January 27, 2018. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inside-the-trial-of-former-priest-charged-with-1960-murder-of-texas-schoolteacher/
- CBS News: Church officials shielded priest suspected of murder for decades, by Josh Gaynor. Published February 26, 2018. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/church-officials-shielded-priest-suspected-of-murder-for-decades/
- CNN: Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees: “Beauty and the Priest” (Transcript Only). Aired June 2, 2013. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/acd/date/2013-06-02/segment/01
- CNN US: Police: Evidence in killing of former beauty queen points to ex-priest, by Scott Bronstein and Gary Tuchman. Published May 31, 2013. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/justice/garza-texas-priest-murder-case/index.html
- CNN US: Timeline: The killing of Irene Garza by Gary Tuchman and Scott Bronstein. Published May 31, 2013. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/justice/garza-cold-case-timeline/index.html
- Cold Case Files: Devil in Disguise (Season 2, Episode 6). Aired September 24, 2021. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Hulu. https://www.hulu.com/watch/b4bfd6ef-e25d-4892-8b06-4f922720f7cf
- Courthouse News Service: Former Priest Convicted in Cold-Case Murder Dies in Prison, by Erik De la Garza. Published February 13, 2020. Accessed August 21, 2024, https://www.courthousenews.com/former-priest-convicted-of-1960-murder-dies-in-prison/
- Dallas News (Dallas, TX): Ex-priest on trial in slaying of South Texas beauty queen who vanished after confessing her sins to him, by Marc Ramirez. Published December 2, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2017/12/03/ex-priest-on-trial-in-slaying-of-south-texas-beauty-queen-who-vanished-after-confessing-her-sins-to-him/
- Texas Monthly (Austin, TX): Unholy Act, by Pamela Colloff. April 2005. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://www.texasmonthly.com/true-crime/unholy-act/
- Texas Monthly (austin, TX): Ex-Priest Arrested In The 1960 Murder of Irene Garza, by Pamela Colloff. Published February 10. 2016. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/383337/
- The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, TX): 40-year-old murder, unsolved, unforgotten Profile: Crime records paint portrait of murder victim, by Emma Perez-Trevio. Published July 22, 2002. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031145531/http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_1ae25f4a-e4a3-58d6-be96-bd5a52865f58.html
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Police Search for Vanished School Teacher. Published April 16, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297588264
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Missing teacher’s handbag, shoe found. Published April 19, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297588687
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Missing teacher search expands. Published April 20, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297589157
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Manhunt launched for girl’s slayer. Published April 21, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297589688
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Killer Reward up to $2,500. Published April 22, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297590517
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Film slide viewer taken from canal may be clue in murder. Published April 27, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297592897
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Public help asked in probe of McAllen teacher slaying. Published April 28, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297593386
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): State police get Garza case files, No suspects are charged. Published April 29, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/297594160
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Police search for break in Garza murder case. Published May 1, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/292860623
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Police questioning in Garza case continuing. Published May 8, 1960. Accessed August 19, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/292866123
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Investigator hired for Garza murder probe. Published August 31, 1960. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/300256950
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Garza murder probe reopens. Published February 21, 1961. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/292555618
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Former priest denies link to murder, abuse, by Emma Perez-Trevino and Roxana M. Popescu. Published July 16, 2002. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/image/331066325
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Police take second look at unsolved murder case, by Emma Perez-Trevino. Published August 13, 2002. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/331012425
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Murder of Irene Garza goes unsolved, by Sarah Ovaska. Published September 18, 2003. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/670391291
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Garza case in 2nd day before a grand jury, by Sarah Ovaska. Published March 18, 2004. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/670400220
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Man recalls former priest’s scratches following murder, by Emma Perez-Trevino. Published March 25, 2004. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/331725162
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Garza case closes without indictment, by Sarah Ovaska. Published June 10, 2004. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/670413766
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Former monk gives insight into Irene Garza’s death, by Sarah Ovaska. Published June 29, 2004. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/670415694
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Clergy colleagues say ex-priest admitted to 1960 McAllen killing, by Associated Press. Published November 21, 2004. Accessed August 20, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/331761455
- The New York Times (New York, NY): Ex-Priest Is Arrested in 1960 Killing of Texas Beauty Queen, by Fernando Santos. Published February 11, 2016. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/12/us/texas-beauty-queen-murder-irene-garza.html
- Valley Central (Brownsville, TX): Irene Garza TMs cold case under review in Hidalgo County, by Ashly Custer. Published April 15, 2015. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/irene-garzas-cold-case-under-review-in-hidalgo-county/
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Testimony paints Feit as unusual; recalls macabre remarks, by Molly Smith. Published December 2, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/355644867
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Compelling testimony emerges, by Molly Smith. Published December 5, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/358956671
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): ‘To make it go away’, by Molly Smith. Published December 6, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/358957014
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Text of Catholic Church correspondence entered as evidence in Feit trial. Published December 7, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/358957325/
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Former priest John Feit gets life in prison for schoolteacher’s murder, by Molly Smith. Published December 9, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20171209085247/http://www.themonitor.com/irenegarza/article_84172c94-dc8d-11e7-ad35-274cee316d00.html
- The Monitor (McAllen, TX): Former priest convicted of murder dies by Mark Reagan. Published February 14, 2020. Accessed August 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/638049489/
- The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.): In 1960, she went to confession and vanished. Now we know the priest murdered her., by Samantha Schmidt. Published December 8, 2017. Accessed August 21, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/12/08/in-1960-she-went-to-confession-and-vanished-now-we-know-the-priest-murdered-her/
- Trappist Brothers & Sisters: Balancing Prayer, Reading and Work. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.trappists.org/
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