(FreedomBeacon.com)- Police in Los Angeles has verified that Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was murdered on Saturday afternoon.
After going to see how he was doing, a deacon came across O’Connell’s corpse.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials confirmed that Bishop O’Connell, 69, was shot and died at 1:00 p.m. when he was discovered deceased in a room.
According to police, the suspect was taken into custody at his house at 8:15 a.m. local time on Monday after spending several hours barricaded inside. Weapons and other evidence potentially tying Medina to the crime were found, the sheriff said.
The suspect’s wife is cooperating with the police department.
Sheriff Robert Luna said during a press conference that the 61-year-old suspect, identified as Carlos Medina, is married to O’Connell’s maid and had done some work around the residence.
In a statement published after O’Connell’s death, Archbishop José Gomez praised the late archbishop as a “peacemaker” who cared deeply for the disadvantaged and the immigrant community.
Archbishop Gomez wrote in his statement that it had come as a shock, and there were no adequate words to convey his sorrow. Peacefully repose in the arms of Our Lady of Guadalupe as the angels usher you through the gates of heaven.
In addition, he said he was a dear friend of his, and he shall miss him.
A report shows that O’Connell was born in Ireland and attended Dublin’s All Hallows College to prepare for a clerical career. After receiving his priestly ordaining in 1979, he worked as an assistant pastor and then a pastor at various Los Angeles-area churches.
Bishop Gavin of the Diocese of Cork and Ross in Ireland stated O’Connell had always kept his relationship with loved ones there.
O’Connell was named by Pope Francis as an auxiliary bishop in 2015 for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Priests and parishioners gathered outside O’Connell’s house to pray and express their sorrow.
