How Is William Toomey Connected to the Priest Murders? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

themaninblack · 08-02-2017, 05:38 PM

I looked at Kerrigan's story again today. As you know, he was linked to child molestation during his time as a priest and it is theorized that he was murdered because of it. It is no longer believed to be linked to the other murders.
However something is mentioned about William Toomey being a possible suspect in the other killings.
Toomey was the man who killed himself in a church.
What evidence makes the police think he was involved?

Steve W. · 08-02-2017, 05:52 PM

Didn't Toomey kill himself in 1982? One would have to know the exact date that he did that to determine whether or not he could have been responsible (or an accomplice) for Father Reynaldo Rivera's murder (abducted and murdered on 8/7 or 8/8/82).

RobinW · 08-02-2017, 06:31 PM

I'm actually currently working on a "Trail Went Cold" episode about this. "William L. Toomey" was considered a possible suspect in the murders of two other Catholic priests, Father Patrick Ryan and Father Benjamin Carrier, whose bodies were both found bound and naked inside motel rooms in the year before Toomey's suicide. They go into a lot more detail in this article:
https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2005-06-17/275319/

Personally, I think the connection between Toomey and the priest murders is pretty tenuous, but I find this entire story to be a fascinating rabbit hole. It's likely that an innocent man served time in prison for Father Ryan's murder and I'm curious if Father Reynaldo Rivera's death fits into this whole thing. We have three separate murders of Catholic priests which took place in the southwest U.S. during an 11-month period (Fr. Ryan in Texas in Dec. 1981, Fr. Rivera in New Mexico in Aug. 1982, Fr. Carrier in Arizona in Nov. 1982) and there are enough compelling similarities between the crimes to suggest they might be connected.

I believe Father Kerrigan's murder is unconnected to any of this, but it sounds like at the very least, Father Ryan was also a sex offender.

themaninblack · 08-02-2017, 06:37 PM

Rivera was killed in 1982 I think. Kerrigan disappeared in 1984 so Toomey was not responsible for Kerrigan.
I do not know if the priests killed in 82 were involved in the child molestation scandal, but it could be possible that Toomey knew of some involvement in it and killed them? Just speculation of course.

RobinW · 08-02-2017, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themaninblack

Rivera was killed in 1982 I think. Kerrigan disappeared in 1984 so Toomey was not responsible for Kerrigan.
I do not know if the priests killed in 82 were involved in the child molestation scandal, but it could be possible that Toomey knew of some involvement in it and killed them? Just speculation of course.

The things which made investigators theorize Toomey might be involved are that he was heavily suntanned in Idaho in early December, which seems to indicate he had traveled from one of the southern states, and that the name, "William L. Toomey", was taken from a company which manufactured priest garb. There's also the fact that a likely innocent man, James Harry Reyos, was arrested for Father Ryan's murder just 2 1/2 weeks before Toomey's suicide. Like I said, it's pretty tenuous, but still fairly interesting.

Todd Mueller · 08-02-2017, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

I'm actually currently working on a "Trail Went Cold" episode about this.

Sir, you just keep getting better and better. I cannot WAIT to listen to this episode. I'm very much looking forward to it!

All of the weirdness surrounding William Toomey's death makes me think he had some serious issues with and/or because of the Catholic church. Just odd all the way around.

Steve W. · 08-04-2017, 07:42 PM

What was the actual date in which Toomey killed himself?

Steve W. · 08-04-2017, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

The things which made investigators theorize Toomey might be involved are that he was heavily suntanned in Idaho in early December, which seems to indicate he had traveled from one of the southern states, and that the name, "William L. Toomey", was taken from a company which manufactured priest garb. There's also the fact that a likely innocent man, James Harry Reyos, was arrested for Father Ryan's murder just 2 1/2 weeks before Toomey's suicide. Like I said, it's pretty tenuous, but still fairly interesting.

If William Toomey was one of his aliases, I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Carmello was another of his.

TheCars1986 · 08-05-2017, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve W.

What was the actual date in which Toomey killed himself?

December of 1982, IIRC.

justins5256 · 08-05-2017, 11:18 AM

Always felt this theory was BS, and Toomey was just some depressed guy who took his life in a church because he knew someone would find his remains and "take care of it" so to speak.

RobinW · 08-06-2017, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Always felt this theory was BS, and Toomey was just some depressed guy who took his life in a church because he knew someone would find his remains and "take care of it" so to speak.

It wouldn't surprise if this turned out to be a Lori Erica Ruff-type situation where people dream up elaborate theories for his suicide, but the actual explanation turns out to very simple.

The one thing that gives me pause, however, is Toomey selecting his pseudonym from a company which manufactured priest garb. This would have such an obscure piece of information that I have to believe there's some significance to his decision for choosing it.

freakbook · 08-07-2017, 10:00 AM

I agree with Robin that his pseudonym is strange. He could've been molested/abused by a priest from the Catholic church and saw the manufacturers name on the priest's robe or something. Maybe he saw the name while being abused, and it was a name that was burned into his brain? I'm reaching, but I don't know. Unless he worked for the company, or something.

I don't think he killed the priests, but he maybe did some dirt. Seems like he was confessing/praying about something and then took his own life. It's hard to say it was a plain jane suicide, when he used that pseudonym.

08-02-2017, 05:38 PM	#1
themaninblack Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 573	How Is William Toomey Connected to the Priest Murders? I looked at Kerrigan's story again today. As you know, he was linked to child molestation during his time as a priest and it is theorized that he was murdered because of it. It is no longer believed to be linked to the other murders. However something is mentioned about William Toomey being a possible suspect in the other killings. Toomey was the man who killed himself in a church. What evidence makes the police think he was involved?

08-02-2017, 05:52 PM	#2
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	Didn't Toomey kill himself in 1982? One would have to know the exact date that he did that to determine whether or not he could have been responsible (or an accomplice) for Father Reynaldo Rivera's murder (abducted and murdered on 8/7 or 8/8/82).

08-02-2017, 06:31 PM	#3
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	I'm actually currently working on a "Trail Went Cold" episode about this. "William L. Toomey" was considered a possible suspect in the murders of two other Catholic priests, Father Patrick Ryan and Father Benjamin Carrier, whose bodies were both found bound and naked inside motel rooms in the year before Toomey's suicide. They go into a lot more detail in this article: https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2005-06-17/275319/ Personally, I think the connection between Toomey and the priest murders is pretty tenuous, but I find this entire story to be a fascinating rabbit hole. It's likely that an innocent man served time in prison for Father Ryan's murder and I'm curious if Father Reynaldo Rivera's death fits into this whole thing. We have three separate murders of Catholic priests which took place in the southwest U.S. during an 11-month period (Fr. Ryan in Texas in Dec. 1981, Fr. Rivera in New Mexico in Aug. 1982, Fr. Carrier in Arizona in Nov. 1982) and there are enough compelling similarities between the crimes to suggest they might be connected. I believe Father Kerrigan's murder is unconnected to any of this, but it sounds like at the very least, Father Ryan was also a sex offender.

08-02-2017, 06:37 PM	#4
themaninblack Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 573	Rivera was killed in 1982 I think. Kerrigan disappeared in 1984 so Toomey was not responsible for Kerrigan. I do not know if the priests killed in 82 were involved in the child molestation scandal, but it could be possible that Toomey knew of some involvement in it and killed them? Just speculation of course.

08-04-2017, 07:42 PM	#7
Steve W. Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2010 Posts: 870	What was the actual date in which Toomey killed himself?

08-05-2017, 11:18 AM	#10
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Always felt this theory was BS, and Toomey was just some depressed guy who took his life in a church because he knew someone would find his remains and "take care of it" so to speak.

08-07-2017, 10:00 AM	#12
freakbook Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 10, 2017 Posts: 2,256	I agree with Robin that his pseudonym is strange. He could've been molested/abused by a priest from the Catholic church and saw the manufacturers name on the priest's robe or something. Maybe he saw the name while being abused, and it was a name that was burned into his brain? I'm reaching, but I don't know. Unless he worked for the company, or something. I don't think he killed the priests, but he maybe did some dirt. Seems like he was confessing/praying about something and then took his own life. It's hard to say it was a plain jane suicide, when he used that pseudonym.