Oct 28, 2009 2:31 pm US/Eastern
Slain NJ Priest Spoke About Firing Suspect
WIND GAP, Pa. (CBS) ―
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Father Edward Hinds was murdered inside St. Patrick's Church in Chatham, N.J. on Oct. 23, 2009. He was 61.
CBS
Officials have scheduled a court appearance for the janitor accused of fatally stabbing a New Jersey priest 32 times.
Jose Feliciano is due in court in Morristown, N.J., Thursday.
Court documents filed in Wind Gap, Pa., say the Rev. Ed Hinds discussed firing Feliciano one day before he was attacked in the rectory kitchen of St. Patrick Church in Chatham, N.J.
The documents say Hinds told the principal of the church's school that he might have to "let go" of Feliciano due to problems with a criminal background investigation.
The 64-year-old custodian had worked at the church for 17 years.
A wake for Hinds is scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Hinds' murder has turned to his frantic cell phone call to 9-1-1 as he was being attacked.
Investigators said the 61-year-old priest called 9-1-1 as he was being
attacked. The call went to a New Jersey State Police dispatch center,
but suddenly disconnected. The dispatcher apparently called back twice
– once getting voicemail, the second time getting the alleged killer,
who prosecutors say said there was no emergency.
Police were not sent to the church, as a result.
Those who came by a memorial for Hinds on Monday were stunned.
"It is a terrible tragedy, the amount of times he was struck," one parishioner said.
"He was a wonderful man. No one deserved this, no one," added another.
State police officials said they are investigating. Police have to be dispatched on a hang-up call. It gets complicated when the call comes from a cell because sometimes a location can't be pinpointed, but reports indicate police tracked Feliciano through the cell to his home.
Friends said Feliciano's daughter attends the church's Catholic school and his son graduated from it. The interim priest said parishioners are praying for Hinds and Feliciano, who prosecutors said may have been losing his job.
"People are banding together in prayer and love," said Father Moran.
"Jose was a very nice man. It's a complete shock to hear this," said Carlos Thom, Feliciano's neighbor.
While prosecutors said they're looking at Feliciano's employment at the school as a possible motive, they also say they're investigating other potential motives.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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