zunshynn Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) Raphael mentioned this case in the thread about the New Jersey priest who was murdered, and I didn't want to hijack it, so I brought it here... It's a really creepy story. [url="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7076926"]Link.[/url] Here's the article, but I'd recommend watching the video. [quote]By Chuck Goudie October 21, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A Chicago pastor was found in his Southwest Side home, stabbed more than twenty times and it was ruled a suicide. The I-Team has been looking into this two-week-old case that has stunned those who knew the priest, Father Waclaw Jamroz. The death of Fr. Waclaw didn't receive much attention outside his parish near Midway Airport. A press release from the archdiocese reported that he died of "self-inflicted injuries." But after the I-Team learned that those injuries included nearly two dozen knife wounds, we began investigating a mystery in the rectory. Fr. Waclaw hosted religious shows on polish TV and radio. He taped one show three days before he was found dead. "He was very, very popular amongst our viewers, amongst the Polish community," said said Robert Szabla, Polvision producer. "Last time I saw him was like three days before he died and ...he was talking about his plans about going to Poland, he told me he was going to buy the ticket to go to Poland to visit some family." The priest's heart was at Our Lady of the Snows parish north of Midway Airport where black bunting signals that something terrible happened. It was Thursday, October 8. Morning mass was set to start at 8:15 followed by a funeral at 9, both events on Waclaw's calendar. But when the normally punctual pastor didn't show up, police were called to the rectory across the street. He was found on a bathroom floor, multiple stab wounds in his stomach and other cuts on his wrists. "There is no question this was a slow, very violent death," said Steve Patterson, Cook County Sheriff's Department. There was no suicide note. The priests' cash and jewelry were not taken. On Wednesday night, county police were still questioning some people who had dealings with Fr. Waclaw immediately prior to his death and the case remains open. But sources familiar with the investigation say because there was no trail of blood from the messy scene, because the priest was found in a locked bathroom, and because some acquaintances reported his unusual behavior of late, it had to have been a suicide. "It was obvious that he was home alone. It was obvious that there was no struggle. It was obvious it was a suicide," said Patterson. A spokesman for the Cook County Medical Examiner told the I-Team they ruled suicide based on a visual examination of the more than 20 stab wounds and that no autopsy was necessary. At the pastor's wake, hundreds of parishioners lined up to pay their respects. The finding of suicide met with disbelief by those who said Fr. Waclaw believed only God could take a life. "I just don't think he would do something like that because it's such a mortal sin against God. I mean he was so devoted, so devoted to his God, Christ and the Blessed Virgin. Especially during the month of October, which is the month of Mary," said Tom O'Dowd, retired parish teacher. The pastor had some personal concerns. He was recently accused of civil racketeering in a lawsuit filed by the husband of a parishioner in a messy divorce. According to the suit, Fr. Waclaw raised $577,000 from churchgoers to help the woman pay legal bills. Then the priest testified against an attorney in the case at a state disciplinary hearing, describing threats by the lawyer. Fr. Waclaw said the attorney told him to steal money from the church and when he refused was offered $5,000 cash to forget about it. The lawyer's license was suspended by the state on September 28. Friends say if Fr. Waclaw had problems, he never showed them. "He never talked about the dark side of life. He was always full of joy, you know, he wanted us to enjoy life in accordance to the Bible, in accordance to religion, and to live life to the fullest and that's why, in my opinion, he was the last person that I know who could commit suicide," said Szabla. The church building is in Chicago but the rectory is in unincorporated Cook County so it's a sheriff's department case. Cardinal George officiated the funeral mass last week and a spokesman for the archdiocese says Catholic Church officials have no information that his death was anything but a suicide. The priest's body is being returned to his native Poland for burial. Polvision: Chicago's Polish TV: www.polvision.com[/quote] That case really does not sound like it was properly investigated... no mention of the knife he used, no autopsy... ruled a suicide because of a visual scan? When there were over TWENTY stab wounds? And he was in the middle of legal troubles with an angry parishioner? Edited October 25, 2009 by zunshynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 How does someone stab themselves 20 times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightofChrist Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 It Chicago, one of the most corrupt cities in the US. Sounds like a cover up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 [quote name='Archaeology cat' date='25 October 2009 - 03:12 AM' timestamp='1256458345' post='1991031'] How does someone stab themselves 20 times? [/quote] Stab wounds are not necessarily deep. In some suicides, there are many wounds that are barely scratches they call hesitation wounds. It isn't as easy to stab yourself as they make it look on TV. Deep down we have a self-preservation instinct that kicks in and has to be overcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) [quote name='CatherineM' date='25 October 2009 - 03:13 PM' timestamp='1256479986' post='1991058'] Stab wounds are not necessarily deep. In some suicides, there are many wounds that are barely scratches they call hesitation wounds. It isn't as easy to stab yourself as they make it look on TV. Deep down we have a self-preservation instinct that kicks in and has to be overcome. [/quote] OK, I'd forgotten about that until you mentioned it now, though I've heard of that being common. It still seems just a bit fishy without an autopsy, IMO. Edited October 25, 2009 by Archaeology cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 [quote name='CatherineM' date='25 October 2009 - 09:13 AM' timestamp='1256479986' post='1991058'] Stab wounds are not necessarily deep. In some suicides, there are many wounds that are barely scratches they call hesitation wounds. It isn't as easy to stab yourself as they make it look on TV. Deep down we have a self-preservation instinct that kicks in and has to be overcome. [/quote] If you wanted to kill yourself with a knife, wouldn't you just cut one or two arteries instead of going through the torture of a stab wound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veridicus Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 All very fishy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laetitia crucis Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 [quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='25 October 2009 - 12:57 PM' timestamp='1256486237' post='1991076'] If you wanted to kill yourself with a knife, wouldn't you just cut one or two arteries instead of going through the torture of a stab wound? [/quote] That's what I'd ask, too. And if that priest is the only one living in the rectory, why would he need to lock the bathroom door? (Assuming all the other doors leading outside were locked...) I mean, to have a long, painful suicide.. (Well, suicide in general seems to indicate serious psychological problems... ) Poor priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus_lol Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 kinda reminds me of a guy who was ruled to have committed suicide by shooting himself TWICE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. riiiight or this [IMG]http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/diablo_man/bribemoney.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 [quote name='Jesus_lol' date='25 October 2009 - 07:50 PM' timestamp='1256496646' post='1991135'] kinda reminds me of a guy who was ruled to have committed suicide by shooting himself TWICE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. riiiight or this [IMG]http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/diablo_man/bribemoney.jpg[/IMG] [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 When you read autopsy or forensic medical reports, any wound that breaks the skin is often called a stab wound. On my report, it listed a couple of dozen stab wounds, but most of the defensive wounds on my forearms, wrists and hands were barely scratches. I've had a couple of doctors over the years ask if I had attempted suicide after seeing the scars on my wrists especially. Hesitation marks can look the same as defensive wounds. To get to those arteries, you have to cut the skin above it, and that really is harder than you'd think. What caught my attention is that he was found in a locked bathroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 What is interesting is that nothing appeared in the local media about it. This is what appeared in the archdiocesan newspaper: http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2009/1025/9.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunshynn Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 [quote name='Norseman82' date='25 October 2009 - 05:44 PM' timestamp='1256514273' post='1991230'] What is interesting is that nothing appeared in the local media about it. This is what appeared in the archdiocesan newspaper: http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2009/1025/9.aspx [/quote] Yeah that struck me as odd as well. I didn't find any articles leading up to the determination that it was a suicide. It was like they ruled it suicide immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 I actually first heard about it by reading this thread...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 You'd think anything that showed the church in a potentially bad light would have been splashed across all the media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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