Posted on 11/03/2009 8:12:27 AM PST by CedarDave
The slaying of a 64-year-old Catholic nun in her convent over the weekend has stunned and saddened a small Navajo Nation community about 30 miles northwest of Gallup.
The FBI is looking for suspects in the death of Sister Marguerite Bartz, a 10-year resident of the community of Navajo, who was killed on church property at St. Berard Mission Church.
The FBI would not release details about the manner of death or other aspects of the investigation. They confirmed they are looking for a suspect or suspects who may be armed and dangerous, as well as the vehicle Bartz had been driving lately.
Bartz, who had served more than 40 years in the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a Roman Catholic religious order, shared her residence with one other sister who was out of town at the time of the killing, Diocese of Gallup spokesman Lee Lamb said Monday.
Lamb and other members of the Diocese of Gallup declined to provide details about the killing and referred questions to the FBI.
~~snip~~
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Darrin Jones said agents are searching for one or more suspects, who should be considered armed and dangerous. The vehicle Bartz had been drving was missing. Authorities are seeking a beige 2005 Honda CR-V, with New Jersey license plate number NF24821.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
PING to the NM list.
How horrible.
A church would be easy pickings for illegals.
***Lamb and other members of the Diocese of Gallup declined to provide details about the killing and referred questions to the FBI.****
Sounds similar to what happened in a Oklahoma a few months ago. Connections?
The monsignor from our parish always told us there was a warm bed and a meal for anyone in need coming to the rectory or the nun's home, but there was little money.
I don’t think it’s going to turn out to be illegals. More likely someone from the reservation. The community is too remote and off the beaten path for illegals. However, as the article said, due to the ready availability of government housing, there are residents from many areas of the reservation there, some of whom may be criminals or on drugs and looking for money.
Wasn’t there a similar murder a few days ago of a priest or pastor who took someone in?
I’ve been to Navajo on several occasions. Not much there, but it’s very scenic.
I used to install cameras at the schools in and around the Navajo reservation, and they were invariably vandalized by the local kids, some as young as 6 or 7 (we knew this because it was all recorded by the surveillance system!).
The middle school in Navajo was one of the worst ones when it came to the vandalism problem.
Most probably gang related. We have a terrible gang problem out of the reservation, and they can be, and are vicious. There are very few illegals on the reservation.
My thoughts exactly. I could hardly imagine any Native American tribe doing this as Christian missionaries have been a positive fixture of Indian reservations for decades and even if it were found to be that a Navajo did this from what I understand about pretty much all American Indian tribes justice will be swift and sure.
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