Police stated on Monday that a man was detained in connection with the shooting killing of an auxiliary bishop in Hacienda Heights, according to the information shared by ABC.
Carlos Medina of Torrance has been named as the murder suspect. The bishop’s housekeeper’s husband, Medina, was reported to have been acting strangely recently and saying the bishop owed him money.
At a news conference on Monday in the late afternoon, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna released information about the arrest.
Detectives are looking into the possibility that Medina and the bishop actually had a disagreement, according to Luna.
During the weekend, Bishop David O’Connell’s body was discovered in Hacienda Heights. Just before 1 p.m. on Saturday, deputies responded to a complaint for a medical emergency in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
O’Connell was discovered in a homeroom with an upper torso gunshot wound. The 69-year-old, who served the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for 45 years as a priest and then a bishop, was declared dead on the spot.
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Authorities revealed on Sunday that a murder investigation was being conducted into the killing.
According to Luna, tipsters’ accounts of Medina’s recent odd behavior, including remarks against the bishop and claims he was owed money, helped lead authorities to the culprit. On the day of the bishop’s passing, Medina arrived at the residence in a car that resembled the one that was captured on tape, stayed there for a brief period, and then departed, according to Luna.
Both an arrest warrant and a search warrant were obtained by detectives for Medina’s residence. Detectives were informed that he had returned home at 2 a.m. on Monday, but they had already discovered that he had left the area.
At first, when investigators approached Medina after their arrival, he resisted turning himself in. But after a while, he left the house at 8:15 in the morning, and without more incident, he was brought into the jail.
In the residence, two weapons were discovered, and they will be examined for signs that might connect them to the shooting.
The following statement was made public by Archbishop José H. Gomez shortly after the notification from the authorities:
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office informed us early this morning that they had determined that Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell’s death yesterday was a homicide. This information severely disturbs and saddens us.
Let’s keep Bishop Dave and his family in our prayers. And let’s pray for law enforcement personnel as they work to solve this awful crime.”
O’Connell’s passing attracted condolences and words of comfort from public personalities, including former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, here is the tweet about it.
I’m so deeply saddened by the death of longtime peacemaker and fighter for justice, Bishop David O’Connell. He was a friend of many years and part of a prayer group that I participated in throughout the COVID pandemic. This city has lost one of its most beautiful angels.
— Eric Garcetti (@ericgarcetti) February 19, 2023
My heart grieves after learning of the murder of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell. He lovingly served as a priest and Bishop in Los Angeles County for forty-five years.
He was a peacemaker and had a passion serving those in need while improving our community.
— Robert Luna (@LACoSheriff) February 19, 2023
During the weekend, as deputies looked into the murder, devastated parishioners congregated around the location.
Parishioner Johnny Flores remarked, “That crushed me and I was afraid to tell my wife since my wife loved him so much.”
Another parishioner, Glendy Perez, described O’Connell as “a modest soul.”
She remarked that he “was not the kind to engage in conflict with anyone.” “He had a kind of healing gift and was very caring. Attending his rituals was like receiving a healing gift.”
In 2015, Pope Francis appointed O’Connell, who was born in Ireland in 1953, as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
In 1979, he was ordained to serve in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles after completing his studies for the priesthood at All Hallows College in Dublin. After receiving his ordination, he worked in L.A. parishes as a pastor and associate pastor.
He oversaw the church’s response to immigrant children and families from Central America as the chairman of the Interdiocesan Southern California Immigration Task Committee.
