By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A 64 year-old janitor has been charged with the stabbing death of the pastor of a Morristown, New Jersey church.
According to the Associated Press, Rev. Ed Hinds, 61, was in the kitchen of the rectory of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Chatham, New Jersey at around 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 22, when he entered into an argument with the parish janitor, Jose Feliciano. At some point during the argument, Feliciano picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Fr. Hinds 32 times.
Authorities say Feliciano left Fr. Hinds lying on the floor, then put the knife, his bloodied clothes, and the priest’s cell phone in a black bag, which he brought home when his wife picked him up at the rectory as usual about an hour later.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said the following morning, Feliciano was one of two people who looked for Hinds after the priest failed to show up for the 8 a.m. mass Friday. They found the pastor lying dead on the kitchen floor. Police arrived to find Feliciano performing CPR on the priest, but found his halfhearted attempts to be suspicious.
Officials said Fr. Hinds had wounds on his upper torso, the back of his body and his head that were created by a kitchen knife, as well as defensive wounds on his hands and face.
Feliciano later confessed to the crime, and led investigators to the priest’s cell phone, bloody clothing and towels which were still at his home in Easton, Pa. His wife has not been charged in the case.
The murder stunned this small New York City bedroom community of about 10,000 residents and left St. Patrick parish in mourning.
“We the parish of St. Patrick, mourn the death of our beloved pastor, Fr. Ed Hinds,” said a statement posted on the parish website alongside a picture of Fr. Ed with his beloved cocker spaniel, Copper. “We pray for the repose of his soul. We pray for strength and courage during this sad and difficult time.”
Fr. Hinds who was born in nearby Morristown, New Jersey, was ordained in 1974 and served in St. Michael Church in Netcong and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Boonton. He served as vice chancellor of the Diocese of Paterson and secretary to the bishop from 1978 to 1985.
One parishioner, Michael Marotta, 47, described both Fr. Hinds and Feliciano as caring, quiet and hardworking men.
“Everyone loses in this,” said Marotta, who lives down the street from the church. “The church, the broader Chatham community and the Hinds and Feliciano families. It’s disheartening.”
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