Police say that a beloved NJ priest was stabbed 32 times by the church's janitor. Jose Feliciano, 64, who was among the group of people who initially found Rev. Ed Hinds' body in the rectory of St. Patricks in Chatham, NJ on Friday, allegedly confessed and was charged with murder.
Authorities say that Hinds had called 911 from his cellphone to say he was being attacked on Thursday afternoon, but the call got cut off. The Star-Ledger reports, "A 911 operator called back, and the janitor, Jose Feliciano, allegedly picked up the phone, saying there was no need to send an officer, then hung up. Police could not trace the call, and no officer was sent." The next morning, Feliciano and other parishioners discovered Hinds' body. Feliciano allegedly tried to perform CPR, but the parishioners said it seemed "half-hearted." Morris County prosecutor Robert Bianchi said, "He gave a couple of compressions and then said 'There's nothing we can do,' which made police feel kind of suspicious."
Authorities tracked Hinds' cellphone in Feliciano's home in Easton, PA and found a bag full of bloody clothes 50 yards away. Police believe that Hinds and Feliciano had gotten into an argument; it's unclear what the argument was about, but CNN suggests it was about Feliciano's employment while the Star-Ledger says "two law enforcement officials said they are pursuing several reports of a possible relationship between the two men."
Parishioners were shocked to hear of the arrest; one said Feliciano was "as low-key and soft-spoken and as sweet a man as they come,"
