Does anyone have information on the case involving the two priests in Montana and New Mexico (early 1980's)? I was trying to find out anything on the web but no information has came up... must be too long ago.

Are you talking about the priests who were murdered? I remember the story but dont recall the names. I would think there would be alot of news coverage given the profession of the 2 victims.

They were Father Renaldo Rivera of Sante Fe, New Mexico and Father John Kerrigan of Ronan, Montana. Based on the info in the segment, I do believe that the same person or person's that murdered Father Rivera were also involved in the disapperance and presumed murder of Father Kerrigan. As far as I know, they never did catch the people that did this, I do believe the person or person's that did this quite possibly were Native American since Ronan I believe is on an Indian reservation and there are Indian reservations not far from Santa Fe as well I believe.

I was never 100% convinced that the two cases were connected. I believe it was two years apart, opposite ends of the country, and Renaldo's body was found and it was believed that they placed it where it was so that it would be found, whereas Kerrigan has never been found.

Yeah, they found some bones up in the Montana mountains a little while ago. They were thinking that they MAY have been Kerrigan's, but it was later found that the bones were too recent to be that of Father Kerrigan.

...and yes, Kadrmas, Ronan IS on an Indian reservation. I've never heard that theory of the killer possibly being a Native American, though. Interesting, but I tend to discount it. Ronan is a pretty hot tourist spot in Montana, in addition to being located on one of the major highways in Montana. A LOT of people go through that area and travel that particular highway year to year...

Hmm CRicci, well thanks for that additional information on Ronan, but while it is certainly possible that Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan were not murdered by the same people I hold the opinion they are more likely connected. If I remember right both murders occured in August, I want to say that Father Rivera disapperaed and was presumably murdered on the evening of August 7th, 1982, Father Kerrigan I believe disappeared on August 4th, 1984 so close to the two year anniversary of Father Rivera's disapperance.

The fact both their vehicles were left in out of the way locations, the fact that the killers wanted police to know Kerrigan was dead but for what ever reason either intentionally or unintentionally hid his body. It could be they didnt want the cops to find the body, because they used the same gun to kill Kerrigan as they did Rivera and they didnt want it to be linked by bolistics. The fact that they left Kerrigan's bloody clothes and the coat hanger where they did, tells you they wanted people to know they killed him. The segment also said there was evidence that a coat hanger had been used in Father Rivera's murder as well.

In both cases robbery was not a motive, I believe they said, the only item missing from Father Rivera was his last rites kit which as the Police detective said, was probably taken as a souvenier or as a trophy by the killer or killers.

The fact the killers didnt take Father Kerrigan's money tells that robbery wasnt a motive, as there was over 1 thousand dollars in that wallet, the only way that robbery could have been a motive and they didnt take it would be since it was dark out, maybe the light in the trunk wasnt working and they couldnt see in there. I did find it unusual that a person would carry a shovel in the trunk of their car, so it could be it belonged to the killer and they left it there, or maybe it was Father Kerrigan's, the ownership of the shovel was not disclosed during the segment.

Now as CRicci mentioned, the Sacred Heart Catholic Church is only 3 blocks to the west of Highway 93 which is a major road in Montana, so it could have been anyone passing through.

However it stands to reason that Father Kerrigan who said he was returning home to go to bed and left a cafe that was across the street from the church around 11 pm tells me he was called at the church or at his home or whereever the phone was and that was used to get him to meet the killer or killers at the area where the bloody clothes were found, in my opinion. Clearly whoever put those clothes there took their time as they were neatly folded. I believe they said the clothes were found along a dirt turnaround by Flathead Lake which I believe is just to the north of Ronan based on my map.

It is a puzzling case for sure, it is just that since his money wasnt taken, it just tells me that whoever killed him, in my opinion, killed him just to kill a Catholic priest, it is tough to say for sure whether or not these cases are for sure connected, but in my opinion there is a good chance they are.

If there is a positive aspect to this case, it's that there aren't more cases of it. Whoever did this has not only gotten away with it, but has left very few clues behind and it appears authorities have absolutely no idea who it is. with that being said, the people responsible might be more apt to strike again since the police don't know who they are and they might figure they could get away with it again, but thankfully they haven't struck again.

I am not sure if there aer not more cases like it, in another thread I responded to a case Todd Mueller brought up, of Father Patrick Ryan, who was murdered in an Odessa, Texas motel room in 1981. I have always wondered if Father Ryan's case was not connected to Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan. I have also always wondered if the person that murdered the priests, didnt do so because he was perhaps molested by a priest as a boy and perhaps hated Catholic Priests because of what happened to him?

I am not sure if there aer not more cases like it, in another thread I responded to a case Todd Mueller brought up, of Father Patrick Ryan, who was murdered in an Odessa, Texas motel room in 1981. I have always wondered if Father Ryan's case was not connected to Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan. I have also always wondered if the person that murdered the priests, didnt do so because he was perhaps molested by a priest as a boy and perhaps hated Catholic Priests because of what happened to him?

I dont believe any of these cases are connected, and there is no proof they are. The way you make it sound would lead one to believe it was a single person with some deep seeded motive. Its possible, but not likely. I like what wiseguy said on this.

Yeah, it's like these were the only cases in the country where priests met foul play, and authorities automatically assumed they were connected, but I don't think it's necessarily so. However, I can't really blame the authorities, these must be AGONIZING cases for them: they're extremely rare, so they have nothing to compare it with, no suspects, no motives.

I still find it very odd that a coat hanger was used in both killings. I'd probably lean more towards the connection between the two although I think the motive itself is truly baffling. I mean I would lean towards something specific (hate towards the Catholic church or organized religion in general or perhaps the molestation angle brought up earlier) than I would a random act of violence. I just don't know this one still baffles me.

Yes Dark Dante, I would tend to agree with your opinion on this. I mean, I never said they were for sure connected, I said in my opinion they were but that doesnt mean for sure they are, I could always be wrong jsut like Torso Finder could be wrong that they arent connected.

Torso finder, you are right, there is no proof they are for sure connected, it was my opinion they were, mainly because a coat hanger was used in Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan's cases, now what are the odds two competely different killers would both use a coat hanger to restrain someone? It is a very unusual item to use to restrain someone and I am sure most people would never think to use a coat hanger to restrain someone.

Torso finder, the reason why it was my opinion that it was someone with a deep seeded motive is because it indeed seemed that way. I mean in both cases robbery was not a motive, the victims cars were left at out of the way locations, so I figured it was something personal against the Catholic Church and specifically Catholic Priests.

Now, maybe you are right, maybe they werent related, there is evidence to show they may very well not be related, they were in two completely different states in different parts of the country, this is the biggest reason to show they were not related.

I have the opinion they were related, you have the opinion they are not, either one could be right and we probably will never know for sure whether or not they were related.

I am not sure if there aer not more cases like it, in another thread I responded to a case Todd Mueller brought up, of Father Patrick Ryan, who was murdered in an Odessa, Texas motel room in 1981. I have always wondered if Father Ryan's case was not connected to Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan. I have also always wondered if the person that murdered the priests, didnt do so because he was perhaps molested by a priest as a boy and perhaps hated Catholic Priests because of what happened to him?
That was my thought too that the killer may have been molested by a Catholic as a youth or something.

Another huge difference is that Renaldo Rivera was lured away from the church and the killers obviously knew he was a priest, whereas those things are uncertain about Kerrigan. the segment kind of depicts he just went out for a walk one night and didn't return. It is possible that his killers didn't know he was a priest as I don't think he had on priest's clothing at the time (for example, the bloody jacket that was found.) They might have found out later he was a priest as it looks like he had some religious items in the trunk of his car, but might not have known it initially.

Another difference was that they took Renaldo's last rites kit as possibly a souvenier, but it wasn't reported that they took anything of Kerrigan's.

Yes Dark Dante, I would tend to agree with your opinion on this. I mean, I never said they were for sure connected, I said in my opinion they were but that doesnt mean for sure they are, I could always be wrong jsut like Torso Finder could be wrong that they arent connected.

Torso finder, you are right, there is no proof they are for sure connected, it was my opinion they were, mainly because a coat hanger was used in Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan's cases, now what are the odds two competely different killers would both use a coat hanger to restrain someone? It is a very unusual item to use to restrain someone and I am sure most people would never think to use a coat hanger to restrain someone.

Torso finder, the reason why it was my opinion that it was someone with a deep seeded motive is because it indeed seemed that way. I mean in both cases robbery was not a motive, the victims cars were left at out of the way locations, so I figured it was something personal against the Catholic Church and specifically Catholic Priests.

Now, maybe you are right, maybe they werent related, there is evidence to show they may very well not be related, they were in two completely different states in different parts of the country, this is the biggest reason to show they were not related.

I have the opinion they were related, you have the opinion they are not, either one could be right and we probably will never know for sure whether or not they were related.

Yeah, its hard to say if there were any connections. The use of the coat hanger in both cases is very notable indeed. You are probobly right that most people would not think of using a wire hanger as means to restrain someone, but I also think it is more commonly used then our first impressions would lead us to believe. It is a pretty sturdy object that can be manipulated easily.

I would say that I think more likely then not these were seperate cases with some striking coincidences but this is more of just how I feel about it, kinda your gut feelings. I could be wrong though.

The killer/s probobly did have deep seeded motives, whether the cases were connected or not. It could be over a wide range of issues and its hard to speculate.

expanding on a point I made earlier, Renaldo was placed in such a way that the police believe the killers wanted him to be found, whereas it took them at least a week to find Kerrigan's car.

I'm sorry, but even though there are some similarities here, there are way too many differences IMO for me to 100% believe the cases are connected.

I agree with wiseguy, and based on another thread I started, I believe this thread is relevant again, so I am bumping it!

I was reading the book "Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes" and was surprised to learn of another murder that I don't recall mentioned in the UM segment. It involved another Catholic Priest named Leslie Craven from Birmingham, AL. Apparently it occured in the mid-1980's generally around the time of the other murders. Fr. Craven was visiting friends/family in Florida, and was carrying some expensive cameras and video equipment. He told the people in Florida that he would simply ring them when he got back to Birmingham, to let them know he arrived safely. They were surprised when hrs. later they got a call from someone identifying himself as Fr. Craven. They didn't recognize the voice and got concerned when the caller called the listener by the wrong name and stayed on the call much longer than expected (remember Fr. Craven was just going to call and say he arrived safely). After a rambling conversation, the caller hung up. The body of Fr. Craven was discovered later in a trash dump on a burning "pyre" that had been set up by the murderer(s). Fr. Craven's van was discovered in another town, torched, with the expensive equipment still inside. The police suspected that the call actually came from Fr. Craven who intentionally disguised his voice and used the wrong name in an attempt to alert his friend that he was in trouble. There was an eyewitness who saw someone pick up gas cans at a gas station near the place where Fr. Craven was discovered. He was a white b/w 30 - 40.

I'm someone who tends to believe the murders are unrelated, and the fact that the victims were priests are attributable more to the fact that men in that position are more vulnerable (tend to help strangers), as opposed to serial killer w/ a "grudge".

I'm not totally convinced that the murders are related either, although it angers and saddens me that someone would take advantage of a priest as Fr. Reynaldo was. As a Catholic I take these crimes personally. I think Fr. Craven was what, '89? It seems like the distance between the time and geographic locations aren't very indicative of related crimes. That book is pretty good stuff, ZanzibarBlue; I have a copy of it as well.

I replied to one of the threads about this case providing the same info from the book. Unfortunately, I can't find the thread and I'm now wondering if it was something I had posted to the other UM forum and not here. Anyhow, I believe there were actually four priest murders mentioned in the book - only the first two were covered by UM. The third murder, as I recall, took place in 1986 in Arizona(?) and I was puzzled as to why UM did not mention it as the broadcast on the priest killings aired in late '88 - two years after the third murder. Perhaps the connection hadn't been made by law enforcement at the time. The book had some errors as I recall. It mentioned that Father Kerrigan's body was found (I don't believe such a discovery has ever been made) and that the $2000 was found in his pocket. I remember reading and not being convinced that all of these crimes can be associated with the same killer. There are some similarities, but I think they could just be coincidental.

I replied to one of the threads about this case providing the same info from the book. Unfortunately, I can't find the thread and I'm now wondering if it was something I had posted to the other UM forum and not here. Anyhow, I believe there were actually four priest murders mentioned in the book - only the first two were covered by UM. The third murder, as I recall, took place in 1986 in Arizona(?) and I was puzzled as to why UM did not mention it as the broadcast on the priest killings aired in late '88 - two years after the third murder. Perhaps the connection hadn't been made by law enforcement at the time. The book had some errors as I recall. It mentioned that Father Kerrigan's body was found (I don't believe such a discovery has ever been made) and that the $2000 was found in his pocket. I remember reading and not being convinced that all of these crimes can be associated with the same killer. There are some similarities, but I think they could just be coincidental.

I recall a very long post on a Priest Murders thread detailing that info, but I'm unsure if it was one of yours, Justin. (Completely unrelated and off-topic, but I found that long post of yours years ago with the Jerry Strickland/Missy Munday articles. I spent a good 45 minutes reading all of them; those were some great finds.)

There were four murders, and the third did happen in AZ. The entire book had errors sprinkled here and there, misspellings of names being the biggest "repeat offender." That kind of disappointed me, because otherwise it's a pretty solid reference. I noticed a few days ago when I was paging through it one of the dates in the Valley Killer entry was off by nearly ten days.

I also wondered why there wasn't an entry on the Doreen Picard murder if there was one on the 1991 unsolved murders of three prostitutes in Woonsocket (not that one is any more "important" than the other, of course, but the Picard/Laferte case was just so huge). Beaver Tempest was arrested and tried, but the case is widely considered to be a miscarriage of justice (there were entries on Jeffery MacDonald, James Earl Ray, and the West Memphis Three as you recall, after all).

In the UM segment it was suggested that, if the murders were related, the killer may have had a vendetta against Franciscan friars. If that's the case, I'd be curious as to what holy orders the other two priests belonged to. I could see myself becoming more convinced if they were also Franciscans.

I recall a very long post on a Priest Murders thread detailing that info, but I'm unsure if it was one of yours, Justin. (Completely unrelated and off-topic, but I found that long post of yours years ago with the Jerry Strickland/Missy Munday articles. I spent a good 45 minutes reading all of them; those were some great finds.)

I liked the article about the woman from Moses Lake who said she wanted to marry Jerry Strickland because there were no good men in that town. I wonder if the happy couple are still together :lol:

Back to the topic at hand, I did some searching through my posts and I must have posted the priest thing over at IMDB yet not here. From what I can recall the MOs of each murder were way off. I'll have to dig up my copy of the book again. I don't know if the last two priests killed, Father Dogon and Father Craven, were Fransicans. I don't believe the book mentioned that detail. If they were, it might be one of the reasons authorities are linking these seemingly unrelated cases together. I do recall RS mentioning this on UM about Renaldo and Kerrigan.

Speaking of errors in that book, did you ntoice that JFK was assassinated in 1964? :eek:

Well Strickland is still in prison. He is now in a medium security facility in northern Michigan. He is serving a LWOP sentence and is now 48 years old, closing in on 300 pounds. I always thought it strange how in the UM segment they recruited a guy to play Strickland that while of similiar height was about half the size of good ol Jerry.

The only priest murder case I remember was the one in Odessa, TX. I didn't realize that there were a few murders during the early and mid 80s.

The priest in Odessa, Fr. Patrick Ryan, was having a homosexual relationship with the man who was convicted of killing him. His body was found beaten and stabbed in a motel room, where he had checked in under an assumed name.

James Harry Reyos served 20 years in prison for that crime and he still insists he's innocent. He has receipts and a traffic ticket, all time and date stamped, that show he was 200 miles from Odessa at the time of the murder.

Going along with the other poster's suspicion that the murderer of two of the other priests was native american, Reyos is a Jicarilla Apache Indian from Northern New Mexico. He was sentenced to prison in 1983, so he can't be a suspect in murders that happened after that date.

Reyos admits to having sex with Fr. Ryan on the day before he was murdered. This got me to thinking, maybe the motives in these murders isn't necessarily revenge for sexual abuse suffered as a child, but is connected to a current sexual relationship.

This article has a lot of info regarding Fr. Ryan's case and is from the viewpoint that Reyos is innocent. The suspect offered is the man who, in December 1982, committed suicide alone in a church by swallowing cyanide.

His body had no ID, a note signed with a false name, and $1,900 which he asked to be used to cover his burial expenses. Due to the date of his death, he can't be a suspect in any murders that happened after 12/1982.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:275319

There are a couple other threads here on the boards that discuss the details regarding a connection, or not, between the murders and the John Doe suicide.

I liked the article about the woman from Moses Lake who said she wanted to marry Jerry Strickland because there were no good men in that town. I wonder if the happy couple are still together :lol:

Back to the topic at hand, I did some searching through my posts and I must have posted the priest thing over at IMDB yet not here. From what I can recall the MOs of each murder were way off. I'll have to dig up my copy of the book again. I don't know if the last two priests killed, Father Dogon and Father Craven, were Fransicans. I don't believe the book mentioned that detail. If they were, it might be one of the reasons authorities are linking these seemingly unrelated cases together. I do recall RS mentioning this on UM about Renaldo and Kerrigan.

Speaking of errors in that book, did you ntoice that JFK was assassinated in 1964? :eek:

Oh yeah, I loved that. If Jerry "Circlestantive" Strickland were the pick of the litter, I think I'd be moving out of Moses Lake. :lol:

I've got the book here now, and the MO is very different in each case. Fr. Rivera was shot; Fr. Kerrigan is still missing; Fr. Dogan was beaten to death, and Fr. Craven was burned. If there really is a common element unifying all the priests, I wonder if the authorities are looking at some sort of Catholic hate group rather than a single individual or two-man team. That would explain the varying MOs, perhaps.


I'm thinking Michael Newton needs to hire himself an editor..

The only priest murder case I remember was the one in Odessa, TX. I didn't realize that there were a few murders during the early and mid 80s.

The priest in Odessa, Fr. Patrick Ryan, was having a homosexual relationship with the man who was convicted of killing him. His body was found beaten and stabbed in a motel room, where he had checked in under an assumed name.

James Harry Reyos served 20 years in prison for that crime and he still insists he's innocent. He has receipts and a traffic ticket, all time and date stamped, that show he was 200 miles from Odessa at the time of the murder.

Going along with the other poster's suspicion that the murderer of two of the other priests was native american, Reyos is a Jicarilla Apache Indian from Northern New Mexico. He was sentenced to prison in 1983, so he can't be a suspect in murders that happened after that date.

Reyos admits to having sex with Fr. Ryan on the day before he was murdered. This got me to thinking, maybe the motives in these murders isn't necessarily revenge for sexual abuse suffered as a child, but is connected to a current sexual relationship.

This article has a lot of info regarding Fr. Ryan's case and is from the viewpoint that Reyos is innocent. The suspect offered is the man who, in December 1982, committed suicide alone in a church by swallowing cyanide.

His body had no ID, a note signed with a false name, and $1,900 which he asked to be used to cover his burial expenses. Due to the date of his death, he can't be a suspect in any murders that happened after 12/1982.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:275319

There are a couple other threads here on the boards that discuss the details regarding a connection, or not, between the murders and the John Doe suicide.

I remember that case. I'm pretty sure there was a Cold Case Files segment or an American Justice episode on it that I remember being quite good.

I think we can safely rule out a personal motive with regard to the death of Father Renaldo. Remember that the killer phoned the rectory and spoke with a different priest first who was unable to make the drive out to meet the caller and asked him to call back. When the killer called the second time, he got Father Renaldo. Although we can't say for sure, I think it is highly doubtful that the killer could have known that Father Renaldo would answer the call. If the first priest who picked up the phone had been able to meet the caller, he would have been the victim. This was the act of someone who wanted to murder a Catholic priest.

They used a gun, and possibly a coat hanger to restrain Renaldo. They also shot him and made no attempt to hide the body.

With Kerrigan's murder, we can rule out robbery since $2000 (or was it $1000?) was found in the trunk of his car. Since no body was found, we can't rule out the gun. But the body not being found suggests they disposed of it in a way so it would not be found. The coat hanger was used also, and it appeared that this was a more violent encounter since Kerrigan's blood was found in several places in the car, including the trunk.

EDIT - btw, Meg, does your book say that Kerrigan's body was NOT found? My copy (and I may have an older edition) says his body was found with the money in his pocket.

Not sure what I'm getting at here. Just thinking aloud mostly. But it seems to me that Renaldo's death wasn't personal. Perhaps Kerrigan's was. He was tortured and his body disposed of in a way so that it wouldn't be found. The substantial amount of money wasn't touched - but why would he be walking around with so much money anyway?

Mine says Fr. Kerrigan was found with the money, too. That always puzzled me as well---Franciscans make a vow of poverty before they enter their communities. An easy explanation would be parish business, but why would he have cash instead of a check? Too weird.

Mine says Fr. Kerrigan was found with the money, too. That always puzzled me as well---Franciscans make a vow of poverty before they enter their communities. An easy explanation would be parish business, but why would he have cash instead of a check? Too weird.

The UM segment also mentioned that Father Kerrigan was new in town - not a lot of time to make enemies.

There is just something "off" about these murders. I can't quite put my finger on it. Kerrigan having the large sum of money that wasn't stolen bothers me a lot. I wonder if this could have been a sex crime - as in he was going to see an escort, possibly even a male escort, and was bumped off. The large sum of money just makes it seem likely he was doing something shady that resulted in his death.

Father Renaldo Rivera's death, on the other hand, does strike me as the work of some screwball who just wanted to kill a priest. I'm finding it harder to believe these crimes are related.

Well, I agree in part and disagree in part Justin. Yes the killer, it appears did not have anything personal against Father Renaldo himself. However it appears the killer or killers did have a personal problem with Catholic priests for whatever reason. Again, this is just a guess but I would guess that the killer was molested or wronged in someway by a Catholic priest at some point. Yes, I mentioned Father Ryan earlier in the thread. It was a truly bizarre murder and I have kicked around the possibility that it was connected to Renaldo and Kerrigan. Yes Reyos was convicted in 1983 and I believe sentenced to 38 years in prison. He was actually paroled in 1995 but returned to prison a few months later after an arrest for drunk driving. Reyos was again released in 2003 and from what I understand has stayed out of prison.

Again, this is just a guess but I would guess that the killer was molested or wronged in someway by a Catholic priest at some point.

I think kadrmas hit the nail on the head. These crimes were very personal to the perp, but it didn't so much matter who the victim was as much as WHAT the victim was. I agree that these were about revenge on priests, pure and simple. Why else would so much money (obviously available) be left behind? The fact of how the killings were set up says they probably weren't after the individual priests by name (at least that's what I think).

In another thread I posted a link to an article they tied in another UM case. The guy who committed suicide in the Catholic church (he went by "William Toomey" but that name was not real) was never solved, but it has been theorized that he had possibly killed Catholic priests in revenge for being molested and then he killed himself in a church out of guilt. I admit it takes a lot to fall into place but it does make sense if you think about it.

Then again, who the heck knows...

Hey Kadrmas, I just finished looking Jerry Strickland up on the MDOC site. He's all the way up in Kinross now. For the non-Michiganders, Kinross is about 10 miles south of Sault Ste Marie in the UP. Being about 10 min from Canada, he is freezing his butt off up there and he should for what he did. I couldn't find Melissa Munday in there, so I think she was paroled. Probably went back to Maryland.

Here's Strickland's info. He's 5' 9" and 287 lbs. What the heck are they feeding the prisoners up there?

http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=196117

Hey Kadrmas, I just finished looking him up on the MDOC site. He's all the way up in Kinross now. For the non-Michiganders, Kinross is about 10 miles south of Sault Ste Marie in the UP. Being about 10 min from Canada, he is freezing his butt off up there and he should for what he did. I couldn't find Melissa Munday in there, so I think she was paroled. Probably went back to Maryland.

Actually, I think she got off and didn't serve any time.

That's what I thought too, that she didn't serve any time. In fact, I want to say that charges against her were dropped in exchange for testimony against Strickland, but I could be thinking of something else. I've found records in the past that have her residing in West Virginia (quietly I'd imagine) near the town in Maryland she left years earlier.

That's what I thought too, that she didn't serve any time. In fact, I want to say that charges against her were dropped in exchange for testimony against Strickland, but I could be thinking of something else. I've found records in the past that have her residing in West Virginia (quietly I'd imagine) near the town in Maryland she left years earlier.

Someone who claimed to know Missy personally posted here once saying that she was a good person and that we should stop talking about her because this all happened 20 years ago or some such.

Someone who claimed to know Missy personally posted here once saying that she was a good person and that we should stop talking about her because this all happened 20 years ago or some such.
I don't intend to imply anything about her--just commenting. Actually I tend to think Missy was probably quite afraid of Jerry. As far as the priest murders go, I'm beginning to ponder the idea that at least Fr. Rivera could've been the target of impersonal anti-Catholic violence (as opposed to a personal vendetta). We've pretty well established the killer was looking for a Catholic priest--any priest. I find it interesting the caller asked for the administration of Last Rites. I don't think it would come naturally for a non-Catholic to use that as a rouse. I could more easily imagine one asking for something more generic, like "I need a priest over here to pray" or the like. I think the caller was either a Catholic, former Catholic, or someone who had studied the religion enough to know about that sacrament. I think I may be beginning to lean towards a fanatic or a hate group. Even the possibility that the killer may have been an anti-Vatican II Catholic (Vatican II was a large conference held in the 1960s that changed a lot of our liturgy in the Church, and a few "break away" sects--which claim there hasn't been an authoritative Pope since Pius X and still adhere to the "old" ways, some of which go directly against Church teaching now--have resulted. Some of them are ultra-radical) has crossed my mind. Another thing that jumps out at me is that the caller gave his name as "Carmelo", which is distinctly Latin. I'm not sure what I'm really trying to get at here, but it bothers me.

Well,, she was convicted of a felony but she was sentenced as a juvenile. She did a year in Juvenile Hall and then was let out.

Getting back to Father Kerrigan, I'm totaly confused. You guys have a book that says that Kerrigan's body was found? Like I said, I'm from that area and am pretty familiar with Kerrigan's case. To MY knowledge, his body was never recovered. They did locate his wallet with a large amount of money in it, and they found a bloody coathanger nearby. However, if Kerrigan's body was found, that would be MAJOR news to me....

I don't intend to imply anything about her--just commenting. Actually I tend to think Missy was probably quite afraid of Jerry.

Meg,

I'm sorry if I came across poorly. I didn't mean it to sound like I was reprimanding you. I was just pointing out that little factoid about the poster as I always think it is interesting when we hear from someone who is close to the case or a UM person. :)

That being said, Missy may be a great person now, but I think what she did was deplorable. As was shown in the segment, she had the ability to leave Strickland and summon help when she was at that car dealership for so many hours alone. I agree wholeheartedly with the detective in the segment who said she is just as guilty as he (Strickland) is.

Getting back to Father Kerrigan, I'm totaly confused. You guys have a book that says that Kerrigan's body was found? Like I said, I'm from that area and am pretty familiar with Kerrigan's case. To MY knowledge, his body was never recovered. They did locate his wallet with a large amount of money in it, and they found a bloody coathanger nearby. However, if Kerrigan's body was found, that would be MAJOR news to me....

LooksLikeCRicci - I wouldn't put much stock in what the book says. It is full of errors. I think that had Kerrigan's body been found, it would have been mentioned on UM. I don't buy that the discovery would have come after the UM broadcast either, because both the book and the broadcast mention the money that was recovered (although the book said it was in Kerrigan's pocket).

Meg,

I'm sorry if I came across poorly. I didn't mean it to sound like I was reprimanding you. I was just pointing out that little factoid about the poster as I always think it is interesting when we hear from someone who is close to the case or a UM person. :)

That being said, Missy may be a great person now, but I think what she did was deplorable. As was shown in the segment, she had the ability to leave Strickland and summon help when she was at that car dealership for so many hours alone. I agree wholeheartedly with the detective in the segment who said she is just as guilty as he (Strickland) is.

No worries at all, Justin. :) Speaking of the detective, I get that one bit of the interview with him stuck in my head from time to time: I want. Them. Both. Real bad. They are dangerous people. I love those pre-series specials.

Just found this:

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/larry_barker/mystery-call-a-ruse-for-priests-murder

Apparently the case of Father Renaldo is "heating up" This article was only written feb of this year...could there really be a break coming up?

Hmm, interesting that Father Rivera's eyeglasses, wallet and last rites kit were missing. In the segment they said only his last rites kit was missing but perhaps that was on purpose to see if the tips they got were genuine? So, this is a more interesting case. What is also interesting and this was another detail not released in the segment, but that Father Rivera's car was actually found at another rest stop, its gas tank empty at a rest stop not far from Grant's, New Mexico.

The rest stop itself in that area is currently on the Pueblo of Acoma Indian Reservation. Strangely you would have to be going east towards Albuquerque to get to it. Just like the rest stop that Father Rivera was lured to, the La Cienega rest stop, he actually had to go out of Santa Fe, get off at the exit, then turn around and head back towards Santa Fe as the rest stop is on the side of the interstate heading towards Santa Fe to get to it. That rest stop is located near Santo Domingo Pueblo which like at the other rest stop where the car was found is home to a large Pueblo population. Could the killer or killers be part of the Pueblo Indian community? Ironically, where Father Kerrigan disappeared from, Ronan, Montana is also on an indian reservation, Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, the Flathead Indian Reservation. The two tries are part of the Flathead Indian Nation.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I just rewatched this case and figured I'd share my thoughts on it. As far as I can tell, the only connections between the murders of Father Rivera and Father Kerrigan are the fact that they were both Catholic priests, both Franciscans, and both crime scenes involved a bloody coat hanger. Other than that, there really is no obvious connection IMHO. For one, Rivera's body was dumped out in the open whereas whoever murdered Kerrigan went through great lengths to hide his body. In all likelihood, Kerrigan is buried somewhere in Montana (since they found the bloody shovel in the trunk of his car). I think the bloody coat hanger was just a weird coincidence. I think in the case of Father Rivera it was used to bind/tie him up whereas in the case of Father Kerrigan it was simply in his car and was dumped along with his shirt. A couple of things bother me about both cases, however:

-It appears as though whoever killed Father Rivera just wanted to kill a Catholic priest. It could have been some type of "thrill kill", or (as others have previously mentioned) it could have been someone who felt "wronged" by the church in someway (someone who was molested as a child, someone who was ousted by the church, etc.), or it could have been some drug abuser who figured he could gain some quick cash by calling up a priest, knowing that they would come immediately to administer the last rites. The molestation-revenge theory is a good one on the surface, but that doesn't explain why Father Rivera's killer/s decided to take his last rites kit. An article that was posted in this thread also says Father Rivera's wallet was missing, which wouldn't fit in with the whole "molestation" angle. The fact that his wallet was taken (this wasn't mentioned on UM), seems to suggest that his murder was motivated by greed, IMO. I think it's entirely possible that someone looking for a quick fix, who was either Catholic or knew the Catholic customs, called the rectory and knew that any priest would have responded immediately. The article also mentions that Father Rivera's car was found 110 miles from where his body was found, empty on gas. So whoever killed him, obviously had no means of transportation to get out of New Mexico. That also, sadly, may have been part of the motive in his slaying.

-As for Father Kerrigan, I tend to think there are more nefarious things that were held back by the UM segment. He was carrying a large amount of cash on him when he disappeared, which is unusual for a Catholic priest to do. I found this article: http://www.podles.org/case-studies/files/John-Patrick-Kerrigan-Murder.pdf which mentions that another man disappeared around the same time as Father Kerrigan. The article also speculates that Kerrigan may have been at a facility at one point where priests were treated for pedophilia. Unlike Father Rivera, Kerrigan's wallet as well as several hundred dollars were in plain sight yet nothing was taken from his vehicle. It's obvious, IMHO, that robbery was not a motive in Kerrigan's murder. And if in fact that article is accurate and he was at the treatment center for pedophilia, then I can see how Kerrigan's murder would be revenge fueled. IIRC, the segment mentions that Kerrigan was transferred to the new church and was only in town for four days. That's hardly enough time to make any real enemies. I think it's entirely plausible that whoever killed Kerrigan followed him to Montana to do so.

So to sum up what I tried saying without going on and on, I don't feel like these murders are connected. I think the most likely scenario in the case of Father Rivera was that he was killed by some low life drug user/s who needed quick cash and a vehicle to hightail it out of town. I think whoever killed Father Kerrigan had a deep personal motive to do so, which is why they took a great effort to hide his body.

So to sum up what I tried saying without going on and on, I don't feel like these murders are connected.

I've always felt the same way. Even as a kid, I just didn't understand why they tried to connect the two since they happened in different areas and the crime scenes were very different. (Yes, I had morbid interests as a kid. Shhh!)

This is a case of revenge. The killer is acting on revenge for what he feels the catholic church did to him as a youth causing him to end up with the crap life he now lives. Therefore, not just for the abuse as a child by the one person he should trust, a representative of god, but also for how this spiraled into the worthless life he now believes he lives in all due to that original molestation. There are not two killers. The rage of one is more than enough. The first crime was to get even. An eye for an eye. A ruined life for ruining a life. The killer is probably a truck driver. Maybe a landscaper. He is white, and a beer/alcohol drinking outdoorsman. His years driving an 18 wheeler always on the lookout for empty areas of the country and lonely dirt roads to nowhere spur on his revenge. He was surprised the first priests body was found so quickly. He thought it would be coyote food and torn apart and dried in the sun long before discovery. The second murder in Montana was closer to home. The victim is from there and is probably a victim of that diocese. He probably still lives in Montana. The New Mexico was his first murder while on the road. He is more confident in the second murder and also does not want closure in the second murder since his life has no closure. The first murder did not fix his revenge like he thought. He feels the first murder only took away 20 years of an old mans life so he needed another to "half of a life" to equal one. (Among other reasons) The second murder is more personal since he had wanted a "posted" catholic diocese molester to whack versus an innocent priest. In a sense, he needs to get the molester not only for revenge from when he was molested as a boy, but also for his life, and for making him kill and innocent priest in New Mexico, a mistake that is contributed to the molesting priest. That priest in Montana was close but not direct to the killers childhood molestation. The killer is retired now, probably close to death due to smoking dringking, and bad health. He has been arrested for domestic violence once, but has roughed up and beaten street prostitutes as well previously. He has a little social security and bitches about health care problems and has a couple of his doctors he also wants to kill.

the coat hanger was for torture. The gun is more than enough to subdue a priest. A priest will only try to "talk his way out" by finding god etc. to get out of this situation. The hanger is used to torture choke the priest when he is on his knees outside the vehicle in pitch black darkness. The killer forms it into a vise type crank in a circle, puts it over his head and cranks it down on his neck from behind with a closed leatherman in between and twists as it tightens like a tournequet around the priests neck. Then the priest would struggle as he is axfixiated to death.

the killer later regrets killing the first, innocent priest and wants even more revenge now so he kills the second, guilty priest in his home state of Montana. He also wants to make sure the body is never found just as the killer's pain will never go away (until death)

who says for sure that money was Kerrigans? The killer could have planted that money on him to make him look like he was into some sort of corruption. Just like the killer stuffed $100 in his front pocket of his shirt found on the roadside. Remember, the killer is not in least bit concerned about money. The killer also new about the money since he put Kerrigans wallet in the trunk. He could have taken a couple hundred just to pay for the trouble and gas of killing Kerrigan. But he had NO concern for money, so much so he may have actually planted that money since it is unusual for a priest to have so much money and in crisp $100's? Maybe detectives should check local bank withdrawals of cash in high amounts in $100's around during that proceeding work week? I bet not that many people in Montana men are withdrawing 1k in $100 dollar bills that week in rural Montana? A little research time by detectives might pan out.

ok Kadramas15, Let's look at the obvious. The bloody shovel that was found in the priests trunk was not the priests shovel nor was it in the trunk to begin with. The shovel came with the killer(without the blood). These were pre-dna- days, and the killer was not concerned about future dna technology since in both crimes he "wiped down the car of fingerprints" but left blood splatter everywhere. So is the same of the shovel. What detectives should do is run a DNA test on the handle of the shovel. The killer's dna is for certain there. That is a start. Then take the DNA of the blood and you have the DNA of the Victim father Karrigan. Any other DNA is the killers. This is a start to test against some"suspects" the Montana detectives have. They could follow them and pick up their dna eventually from their trash etc. My guess is the killer has no children, so no "close hits" on dna from a relative if picked up to narrow the search. Just the killer and his solo DNA profile. Like prior posts, he must have BEEN A TRUCK DRIVER OR DELIVERY DRIVER FOR SOME PART OF HIS LIFE.

And the shovel in the trunk also shows premeditation. It is pretty unlikely the killer or anyone carries around a shovel unless they are in landscaping. But that late at night, highly unlikely. Landscapers work mornings and daylight. This priest just got transferred to this district. The killer lives nearby and it was like hitting a little lottery to have a posted molesting priest move into his neighborhood / county/ area. He had been casing the routine out for a week or more, and the priest of all peoples have pretty regular routines. Like shooting fish in a barrel. Maybe ambushed him at his residence, more likely pretended to hitch a ride when he drove by. The priest stopped, he threw his gear and shovel in the trunk, told the preacher he was a day laborer just trying to make a living, then pulled the gun once in the car and drove to the secluded area, parked the car, walked to the body side, tortured and killed the priest, then dug the hole or had the hole already dug and buried the body and put local area shrubbery on top. No one looks for a grave spot under a big bush or tree. Walked back with the shovel not wanting to leave it to help find the grave or the metal being detected from some treasure hunters metal detector and finding the grave hence bringing it all the way back. Also covering footprints to the body on the way back also.

Lulz.

Lulz.
Happy Sunday James. Interesting thread to wake up to. I just watched another series on these two murders this morning that makes the case that the murders are not related.

Happy Sunday James. Interesting thread to wake up to. I just watched another series on these two murders this morning that makes the case that the murders are not related.

Indeed, there are several interesting new posters here lately.

I just watched another series on these two murders this morning that makes the case that the murders are not related.

What's the name of the series? Is it available online?

Both priests met up to have a secret duel to determine who was more god-fearing. Both lost.

They're not connected, and the coat hanger could've been symbolic.

Double trouble. Delete plox

Hold up. I'm rusty on these cases.

A coat hanger was used in BOTH deaths?

I wonder if the latter was a copycat killer?

What's the name of the series? Is it available online?
Oh I saw it on the forbidden site. It popped up as something like the top 10 unsolved rest stop murders/crimes IIRC. so I don't know if I spoke properly when I said series. it might of been a one off video someone made. maybe even someone from here because they seemed to refer to UM a lot, but not all of the cases were UM features. dexter stefonek and Blind river were also on there. but there were a few small details that I had not previously heard about for all 3 of those cases.

This is a case of revenge. The killer is acting on revenge for what he feels the catholic church did to him as a youth causing him to end up with the crap life he now lives. Therefore, not just for the abuse as a child by the one person he should trust, a representative of god, but also for how this spiraled into the worthless life he now believes he lives in all due to that original molestation. There are not two killers. The rage of one is more than enough. The first crime was to get even. An eye for an eye. A ruined life for ruining a life. The killer is probably a truck driver. Maybe a landscaper. He is white, and a beer/alcohol drinking outdoorsman. His years driving an 18 wheeler always on the lookout for empty areas of the country and lonely dirt roads to nowhere spur on his revenge. He was surprised the first priests body was found so quickly. He thought it would be coyote food and torn apart and dried in the sun long before discovery. The second murder in Montana was closer to home. The victim is from there and is probably a victim of that diocese. He probably still lives in Montana. The New Mexico was his first murder while on the road. He is more confident in the second murder and also does not want closure in the second murder since his life has no closure. The first murder did not fix his revenge like he thought. He feels the first murder only took away 20 years of an old mans life so he needed another to "half of a life" to equal one. (Among other reasons) The second murder is more personal since he had wanted a "posted" catholic diocese molester to whack versus an innocent priest. In a sense, he needs to get the molester not only for revenge from when he was molested as a boy, but also for his life, and for making him kill and innocent priest in New Mexico, a mistake that is contributed to the molesting priest. That priest in Montana was close but not direct to the killers childhood molestation. The killer is retired now, probably close to death due to smoking dringking, and bad health. He has been arrested for domestic violence once, but has roughed up and beaten street prostitutes as well previously. He has a little social security and bitches about health care problems and has a couple of his doctors he also wants to kill.

Umm. Okay.

I don't even know where to start, so I'll just...start, I guess.

Welcome to the boards! :wave: You've just commented on a case that is pretty close to me, as I grew up in Montana and am pretty familiar with the facts surrounding Father John Kerrigan. Are you basing all this on hunches, or do you have something concrete you can show me?

I appreciate your thoughts, but I don't believe the two killings are related. I agree with your comments that the Kerrigan killing was a revenge killing. I absolutely agree. Where we differ is that I'm convinced John Kerrigan's killer is Plains, Montana or somewhere in that region of Montana. I don't agree with your assessment that Father Kerrigan was a "secondary" priest. There are too many clues that indicate otherwise.

I, among others, believe Kerrigan was lured to the spot he was eventually killed by the killer. The sheer amount of money found in Kerrigan's items indicate to me that he was there to pay someone off. Probably payoff money to keep them from talking about the fact that Father Kerrigan had molested someone. The fact that Father Kerrigan had been shipped around the state like a lost suitcase was not widely known until recent years, when the Catholic Church was forced to disclose all the names of the clergy suspected of child molestation.

I firmly believe we haven't found Father Kerrigan's body because it was weighed down and dumped in Flathead Lake, which was very close to where his car was located. Google it if you want. It's a beautiful and pristine lake. You hit it in the right spot and it's also hella deep.

I absolutely agree that Kerrigan's killing was premeditated, but not for the same reasons you do.

The shovel in the trunk didn't belong to Kerrigan? Dude, you're clearly not from Montana. Every Montanan I know carries a shovel in their trunk. It snows a lot here. Your car gets stuck in the snow a lot. It's the middle of the summer and I've got a shovel in the trunk of my car right now, along with kitty litter, a flashlight, and warm blankets. I'm just saying. That fact alone is not indicative of anything. Sure, Kerrigan was "new" to the Ronan area, but he had been shipped around the state of Montana for years. The shovel in the back of the car would not be a surprising find.

I agree with you that the killer is likely white-- a huge chunk of Montana's population is white. Kerrigan's killer was local, so it stands to reason that the killer was likely white. Why are you so convicted the killer is a trucker or landscaper? Why do you think the body was buried? Just curious.

This is a case of revenge. The killer is acting on revenge for what he feels the catholic church did to him as a youth causing him to end up with the crap life he now lives. Therefore, not just for the abuse as a child by the one person he should trust, a representative of god, but also for how this spiraled into the worthless life he now believes he lives in all due to that original molestation. There are not two killers. The rage of one is more than enough. The first crime was to get even. An eye for an eye. A ruined life for ruining a life. The killer is probably a truck driver. Maybe a landscaper. He is white, and a beer/alcohol drinking outdoorsman. His years driving an 18 wheeler always on the lookout for empty areas of the country and lonely dirt roads to nowhere spur on his revenge. He was surprised the first priests body was found so quickly. He thought it would be coyote food and torn apart and dried in the sun long before discovery. The second murder in Montana was closer to home. The victim is from there and is probably a victim of that diocese. He probably still lives in Montana. The New Mexico was his first murder while on the road. He is more confident in the second murder and also does not want closure in the second murder since his life has no closure. The first murder did not fix his revenge like he thought. He feels the first murder only took away 20 years of an old mans life so he needed another to "half of a life" to equal one. (Among other reasons) The second murder is more personal since he had wanted a "posted" catholic diocese molester to whack versus an innocent priest. In a sense, he needs to get the molester not only for revenge from when he was molested as a boy, but also for his life, and for making him kill and innocent priest in New Mexico, a mistake that is contributed to the molesting priest. That priest in Montana was close but not direct to the killers childhood molestation. The killer is retired now, probably close to death due to smoking dringking, and bad health. He has been arrested for domestic violence once, but has roughed up and beaten street prostitutes as well previously. He has a little social security and bitches about health care problems and has a couple of his doctors he also wants to kill.

This is a case of revenge. The killer is acting on revenge for what he feels the catholic church did to him as a youth causing him to end up with the crap life he now lives. Therefore, not just for the abuse as a child by the one person he should trust, a representative of god, but also for how this spiraled into the worthless life he now believes he lives in all due to that original molestation. There are not two killers. The rage of one is more than enough. The first crime was to get even. An eye for an eye. A ruined life for ruining a life. The killer is probably a truck driver. Maybe a landscaper. He is white, and a beer/alcohol drinking outdoorsman. His years driving an 18 wheeler always on the lookout for empty areas of the country and lonely dirt roads to nowhere spur on his revenge. He was surprised the first priests body was found so quickly. He thought it would be coyote food and torn apart and dried in the sun long before discovery. The second murder in Montana was closer to home. The victim is from there and is probably a victim of that diocese. He probably still lives in Montana. The New Mexico was his first murder while on the road. He is more confident in the second murder and also does not want closure in the second murder since his life has no closure. The first murder did not fix his revenge like he thought. He feels the first murder only took away 20 years of an old mans life so he needed another to "half of a life" to equal one. (Among other reasons) The second murder is more personal since he had wanted a "posted" catholic diocese molester to whack versus an innocent priest. In a sense, he needs to get the molester not only for revenge from when he was molested as a boy, but also for his life, and for making him kill and innocent priest in New Mexico, a mistake that is contributed to the molesting priest. That priest in Montana was close but not direct to the killers childhood molestation. The killer is retired now, probably close to death due to smoking dringking, and bad health. He has been arrested for domestic violence once, but has roughed up and beaten street prostitutes as well previously. He has a little social security and bitches about health care problems and has a couple of his doctors he also wants to kill.

What's your name and address? I'm totally not going to call the cops or anything.

How long have you been retired from landscaping, and what's your favorite beer? You should also stop beating up street prostitutes, they're humans too.

What's your name and address? I'm totally not going to call the cops or anything.

How long have you been retired from landscaping, and what's your favorite beer? You should also stop beating up street prostitutes, they're humans too.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/8008269622673ccf5cc4053d029c8992/tumblr_mr5ybfzh8F1qzc065o1_500.gif

...

http://images.memes.com/meme/621390

The Father Kerrigan side had an intriguing feel to it even before it was revealed that he had a long history of sexual abuse towards children. What astounds me is the lead investigator saying he doesn't believe that has any ties to Kerrigan's disappearance. With that history, how can that not be your most important lead?

The person who did this might not even be one of his former victims but a protective family member who saw how much this had traumatized their child and probably snapped when he realized Kerrigan was never going to be punished for his deeds. Constantly transferring him to different churches doesn't stop the problem. It just gives him access to a whole new set of children to abuse. The reality of that would have to have driven former victims and their families mad.

I'm more and more intrigued by this case the more I learn about it. I never caught it on Lifetime all those years and only had a very faint memory of it when it originally aired.

The person who did this might not even be one of his former victims but a protective family member who saw how much this had traumatized their child and probably snapped when he realized Kerrigan was never going to be punished

I should have been more clear. I agree the killer is more than likely the father/brother/uncle of someone who had been victimized by Kerrigan.

...

I clicked on this thread to see if there was anything interesting and/or new, but now I be like...

http://i.imgur.com/HoYp1cA.gif

"Umm. Okay.

I don't even know where to start, so I'll just...start, I guess.

Welcome to the boards!"


LOL

just read that message (and your response to it) for the first time

The shovel in the trunk didn't belong to Kerrigan? Dude, you're clearly not from Montana. Every Montanan I know carries a shovel in their trunk. It snows a lot here. Your car gets stuck in the snow a lot. It's the middle of the summer and I've got a shovel in the trunk of my car right now, along with kitty litter, a flashlight, and warm blankets. I'm just saying. That fact alone is not indicative of anything. Sure, Kerrigan was "new" to the Ronan area, but he had been shipped around the state of Montana for years. The shovel in the back of the car would not be a surprising find.

To me, the blood being found on the shovel is further evidence that this was a revenge killing for all of Kerrigan's sexual abuse towards children. The money left untouched in the trunk and the fact that his clothes were removed shows whoever did this wanted Kerrigan to feel extra humiliation and torture before killing him.

You said you believe that his body was weighted down in a lake. But I'm starting to wonder if Kerrigan's killer might have forced him to dig his own grave, possibly at gunpoint. And the bloody shovel found in the trunk was used to do that. After he's killed and buried in that specific spot, the killer probably drove Kerrigan's car to the location it would be found a week later to make it look like this was the approximate area where he was killed. But in reality, he's buried elsewhere in the endless Montana countryside/wilderness never to be found.

Being forced to dig your own grave might sound cartoonishly evil, but this killing was extremely personal, so it's a possibility. And since Father Kerrigan's abuse towards children dates back to the 50's, a former victim could have been in his/her late 30's by 1984. It's just as likely the killer was one of the children he abused in his past, than it was a parent of a victim. But either scenario is completely believable, IMHO.

Umm. Okay.

I don't even know where to start, so I'll just...start, I guess.

Welcome to the boards! :wave: You've just commented on a case that is pretty close to me, as I grew up in Montana and am pretty familiar with the facts surrounding Father John Kerrigan. Are you basing all this on hunches, or do you have something concrete you can show me?

I appreciate your thoughts, but I don't believe the two killings are related. I agree with your comments that the Kerrigan killing was a revenge killing. I absolutely agree. Where we differ is that I'm convinced John Kerrigan's killer is Plains, Montana or somewhere in that region of Montana. I don't agree with your assessment that Father Kerrigan was a "secondary" priest. There are too many clues that indicate otherwise.

I, among others, believe Kerrigan was lured to the spot he was eventually killed by the killer. The sheer amount of money found in Kerrigan's items indicate to me that he was there to pay someone off. Probably payoff money to keep them from talking about the fact that Father Kerrigan had molested someone. The fact that Father Kerrigan had been shipped around the state like a lost suitcase was not widely known until recent years, when the Catholic Church was forced to disclose all the names of the clergy suspected of child molestation.

I firmly believe we haven't found Father Kerrigan's body because it was weighed down and dumped in Flathead Lake, which was very close to where his car was located. Google it if you want. It's a beautiful and pristine lake. You hit it in the right spot and it's also hella deep.

I absolutely agree that Kerrigan's killing was premeditated, but not for the same reasons you do.

The shovel in the trunk didn't belong to Kerrigan? Dude, you're clearly not from Montana. Every Montanan I know carries a shovel in their trunk. It snows a lot here. Your car gets stuck in the snow a lot. It's the middle of the summer and I've got a shovel in the trunk of my car right now, along with kitty litter, a flashlight, and warm blankets. I'm just saying. That fact alone is not indicative of anything. Sure, Kerrigan was "new" to the Ronan area, but he had been shipped around the state of Montana for years. The shovel in the back of the car would not be a surprising find.

I agree with you that the killer is likely white-- a huge chunk of Montana's population is white. Kerrigan's killer was local, so it stands to reason that the killer was likely white. Why are you so convicted the killer is a trucker or landscaper? Why do you think the body was buried? Just curious.

I'm from MI and I carry a shovel in my trunk. Even in the summer, if you're up North after a nasty rain, you could get stuck.