Police have named a handyman as the prime suspect in the murder of a Catholic bishop, who was shot dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. Carlos Medina, 65, was arrested on Monday morning and has been charged for allegedly shooting dead Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell, 68.
Police also said that Medina claimed that O'Connell owed him money and acted "irrationally" at the time of the shocking murder. However, the police haven't confirmed if that was the actual motive behind the murder. O'Connell was found dead with a gunshot wound to his upper torso in the bed of his Hacienda Heights home on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Strange Motive
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a press conference on Monday that Medina killed the bishop inside his Hacienda Heights residence on Saturday. Medina was arrested on Monday morning after authorities surrounded his Torrance house and persuaded him to surrender after a multi-hour standoff.
Luna also revealed that. Medina during his interrogation claimed that the bishop owed him money.
After the murder, Medina allegedly left Los Angeles County, a tipster told police. However, Monday morning, a community member contacted the sheriff's office to tell them that Medina was back at the house, which led to the arrest.
The alleged killer's wife was O'Connell's housekeeper, and Medina also did housework for the slain bishop at times, Luna said.
"Detectives were told by the tipster that they were concerned because Medina was acting strange and irrational and made comments about the bishop owing him money," Luna said.
However, Luna stressed that at this point, all the investigators have just a tip, and it is unclear whether the killing was motivated by a specific dispute over cash.
"I am not certain of any dispute," Luna said. "That's something that came up from one of the witnesses, but as all of you know, our investigation continues, which means interviewing multiple witnesses to find out and get a better picture of what happened here."
According to neighbors who spoke to the New York Post, Medina's wife had taken care of the bishop's dog for about ten years, and the alleged murderer occasionally took the clergyman's dog for walks.
Killed By His Own People
Luis Lopez, a neighbor of O'Connell, said that Medina had informed him that his and his wife's rent would be increasing starting in March. Lopez said the couple shared a home with a roommate.
Lopez claimed that his initial reaction upon learning about the allegations against Medina was, "I couldn't believe it myself." "He looks harmless. Him and his wife are an average older couple."
O'Connell, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was found inside a home in Hacienda Heights with a gunshot wound to his upper torso and was later declared dead
The bishop's home on Janlu Avenue had no traces of forced entry, the sheriff said, adding that no firearm had been found at the scene of O'Connell's death.
Also, Luna mentioned surveillance footage obtained on the same day showed a dark-colored compact SUV temporarily parked in O'Connell's driveway around the time of the murder. Luna claimed that Medina drives a similar car.
"I can't tell you how many phone calls I received over the last 48 hours of people who have worked with him in different capacities and this man, this bishop made a huge difference in our community," Luna said. "He was loved."
Following Medina's arrest, two firearms and other materials that would connect him to the horrifying murder were collected, according to Luna. He stated that both weapons would be analyzed to determine if one was a murder weapon.
