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Hudson police had questioned priest in 2nd case-Suicide victim had been interviewed in killings
Pioneer Press ^ | 1-19-05 | Kevin Harter

Posted on 01/19/2005 8:14:42 AM PST by Rakkasan1

A priest who committed suicide after being questioned about the double slayings at a Hudson, Wis., funeral home, was also being investigated in a possible crime involving a minor, Hudson police said Tuesday.

It was the first time that Hudson Police Chief Richard Trende had publicly linked the Rev. Ryan Erickson to another case. Trende also said the priest piqued investigators' interest in the funeral home slayings because he knew details of the crime scene that had not been made public.

But despite the disclosures, Trende refused to divulge too much about either investigation.

Trende would not say if the newly disclosed investigation involved more than one child, what the nature of the allegations were or whether they relate to the February 2002 slayings of Dan O'Connell and James Ellison. O'Connell, 39, operated the family-owned O'Connell Family Funeral Home where Ellison, 22, was an intern from the University of Minnesota.

Erickson's body was found hanging Dec. 19 outside the rectory of St. Mary's Church in Hurley, Wis., in the northern part of the state. His death came just days after a search warrant was carried out. Because the search warrant is sealed by court order, Trende said he could not discuss what was found.

Erickson, 31, was working at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Hudson when O'Connell and Ellison were killed. O'Connell attended St. Patrick's, and Erickson presided over a portion of O'Connell's funeral.

(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hudson; murders; pedophile; priest; suicide; wisconsin
pedophile priest ping?
1 posted on 01/19/2005 8:14:45 AM PST by Rakkasan1
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To: Rakkasan1

On a side note, the term "suicide victim" never made a lick of sense to me.


2 posted on 01/19/2005 8:15:30 AM PST by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: dead

yeah, victim of yourself. sounds like a liberal label.

time to ban ropes.


3 posted on 01/19/2005 8:19:45 AM PST by Rakkasan1 (Justice of the Piece: There is no justice, there's 'just us'.)
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To: NYer; Salvation
More on Fr. Erickson. There were questions about the circumstances of his death, whether it was a suicide or not.

There appears to be little doubt that it was a suicide, given the added circumstances.

4 posted on 01/19/2005 8:25:29 AM PST by sinkspur ("How dare you presume to tell God what He cannot do" God Himself)
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To: Rakkasan1

Gods instructions to man was that we have life and more abundantly. When man does his own thing death is the result.


5 posted on 01/19/2005 8:36:29 AM PST by Ibredd
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To: Rakkasan1

"But despite the disclosures, Trende refused to divulge too much about either investigation."

Not TOO much; just enough to cast aspersions on the priest without having to actually name names or prove anything. Chances are just as good that this priest was killed by homosexuals in the Church whom he was about to expose. This is shameful on the part of investigators.


6 posted on 01/19/2005 8:41:46 AM PST by Luddite Patent Counsel
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel
Chances are just as good that this priest was killed by homosexuals in the Church whom he was about to expose.

No, they're not:

Trende also said the priest piqued investigators' interest in the funeral home slayings because he knew details of the crime scene that had not been made public.

My guess is that Erickson was involved in a menage-a-trois.

7 posted on 01/19/2005 9:06:39 AM PST by sinkspur ("How dare you presume to tell God what He cannot do" God Himself)
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To: sinkspur

My statement about other possibilites was based on statements I've seen from people who have reasons to suspect that all is not as it seems in this situation. Their speculation is just as valid as yours or mine.

My point was that it is totally inappropriate for a law enforcement "professional" to engage in innuendo to fuel suspicions. If he can prove something with hard evidence based on his investigation, information that he can legally make public, he should do it. If he's hinting and dodging based on grand jury testimony or other confidential information, he shouldn't say anything.


8 posted on 01/19/2005 9:19:46 AM PST by Luddite Patent Counsel
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel
My point was that it is totally inappropriate for a law enforcement "professional" to engage in innuendo to fuel suspicions

There's no "innuendo" in "Erickson knew details of the crime scene that had not been made public."

Either Erickson is a suspect, or he broke the seal of confession by relating details he was privy to from the perp.

As to "investigation in a possible crime relating to a minor", that's not innuendo either. He was either being investigated, or not.

9 posted on 01/19/2005 9:28:34 AM PST by sinkspur ("How dare you presume to tell God what He cannot do" God Himself)
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To: sinkspur

"There is a possibility that sinkspur and I are sexually attracted to rubber ducks." That is a statement that is certainly true on its face. However, it implies things that are unlikely to be true. The statement is innuendo.

The statement that "Erickson knew details of the crime scene that had not been made public" may be true on its face. The crime scene, as I understand it, was a funeral home. Wouldn't it make sense that a priest would have been in a funeral home more frequently than the average citizen, and thus know "details" that have "not been made public?" I would hazard a guess there are quite a few people who know details regarding the layout and furnishings of the funeral home that have "not been made public". Does that make them suspects, too?

George H.W. Bush was "under investigation" for Iran-Contra. Do you really think that the massive publicity given to that "fact" was totally without innuendo? Never mind that the investigation showed that he was not involved in any illegal activity.

Facts are facts, and gossip is gossip.


10 posted on 01/19/2005 9:41:21 AM PST by Luddite Patent Counsel
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel
Hudson Wis is my hometown. It's a nice little river town of about 10,000 people on the St. Croix river. These murders have been an open wound in our community since it happened about 3 years ago. I kind of agree with your post but on the other hand we want any information we can get to try to come to terms with this horrible deed. I knew Dan O'connell personally and his family very well and they are truly nice people and pillars of the community. I pray that the truth comes out so that the families can have closure. If the Priest did commit these murders and didn't come clean in his suicide note for the families sake; I hope He's in the innermost ring of hell.
11 posted on 01/19/2005 10:47:17 AM PST by MCRD
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To: MCRD

keep us informed if you hear anything......strange and troubling case...


12 posted on 01/19/2005 11:59:37 AM PST by cherry
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To: NYer

ping

Looks to be just as it looks to be.


13 posted on 09/30/2005 3:33:03 PM PDT by Iris7 ("Let me go to the house of the Father." Last words of His Holiness John Paul II)
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To: Rakkasan1; NYer

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_272183721.html

Looks like what it looks like.


14 posted on 09/30/2005 3:35:53 PM PDT by Iris7 ("Let me go to the house of the Father." Last words of His Holiness John Paul II)
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To: MCRD

What do you think of the link on my #14?


15 posted on 09/30/2005 3:37:03 PM PDT by Iris7 ("Let me go to the house of the Father." Last words of His Holiness John Paul II)
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To: Iris7

That is about the best wrap up I've seen, to this story so far. It squares with everything I've heard here in Hudson.


16 posted on 10/03/2005 6:38:33 AM PDT by MCRD
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