Description
In 1960, 25 year old Irene Garza was raped and murdered in McAllen, Texas. The Mexican-American former beauty queen, was a devout catholic and a pillar of her community. She was last seen going to confession on Holy Saturday before Easter. The McAllen community was outraged and heartbroken and there was a massive investigation. And then the investigation quietly stopped. With no answers, the McAllen community could only rely on rumors. And rumor had it, a priest had murdered Irene and the catholic sheriff and the church had colluded to cover up the crime.
*photo by Lynda De La Vina
Show Notes
Hosted and produced by Erica Kelley
Researched by Haley Gray Research
Written by Erica Kelley and Hannah Newcomb
Original Graphic Art by Coley Horner
Original Music by Rob Harrison of Gamma Radio
Edited & Mixed by Resonate Recordings
Sources
https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/feit-appeal.pdf
Death Cert https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EMtrvsCOu-s3jvsKWm3MQyvHDTcrDLsa/view?usp=sharing
Memorandum https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IUABykxr23t9VZyELBRF56xpwnbtPpwZ/view?usp=sharing
Clergy Letter https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FewdmV-7P7eNAkheJ8JlruYfW4nj-5_N/view?usp=sharing
https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/31/justice/garza-cold-case-timeline/
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2018/01_02/2018_01_27_Lourdes_News_Inside_Texas.htm
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/evidence-photos-in-the-irene-garza-murder-case/16/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/church-officials-shielded-priest-suspected-of-murder-for-decades/
https://www.podles.org/case-studies/files/Murder-of-Irene-Garza.pdf
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irene-garza-murder-john-feit-former-priest-dies/
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mcallencitytexas/PST045219