Former priest, 84, who beat, raped and strangled a Texas beauty queen before dumping her body in a canal in 1960 is sentenced to life in prison

  • John Bernard Feit, 84, was sentenced to life in prison for the 1960 murder of Texas beauty queen, Irene Garza, 25
  • He was charged with murder in February 2016 after decades of walking free
  • Garza was last seen alive on the night before Easter in 1960, when she went to the then 27-year-old priest for confession
  • Her body was found five days later in a canal and an autopsy revealed that she had been raped while unconscious and then beaten and asphyxiated
  • Feit was questioned by police at the time but he was ruled out as a suspect
  • The case went cold twice before a new jury indicted Feit in February 2016
  • Jury selection began Monday while opening arguments started Friday

By Mary Kekatos For Dailymail.com and Jessa Schroeder For Dailymail.com

Published: 22:36 EST, 8 December 2017 | Updated: 04:25 EST, 9 December 2017

A former Catholic priest was found guilty in the brutal murder of a Texas beauty queen nearly six decades ago, a jury announced Thursday.

John Bernard Feit, 84, was sentenced to life in prison for the death of 25-year-old Irene Garza, who disappeared the night before Easter in April 1960. She was found dead in a canal five days later.

Prosecutors had pushed for a 57 year sentence for Feit - which was reflective of the time he spent walking free from the heinous crime. He was indicted for the murder last February. 

The gorgeous Garza was a schoolteacher and Miss All South Texas Sweetheart 1958 before she abruptly vanished. 

She was last seen at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, where she was a parishioner, visiting Feit for confession.

Former priest John Feit leaves the 92nd state District Court after closing arguments in his trial for the 1960 murder of Irene Garza at the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas Friday

Former priest John Feit leaves the 92nd state District Court after closing arguments in his trial for the 1960 murder of Irene Garza at the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas Friday

Feit sits with his lawyer O. Rene Flores before the start of the sentencing phase of his trial

Feit sits with his lawyer O. Rene Flores before the start of the sentencing phase of his trial

Noemi Sigler, a relative to the victim, hugs Hidalo County Assistant District Attorney Michael Garza following the guilty verdict for Feit

Noemi Sigler, a relative to the victim, hugs Hidalo County Assistant District Attorney Michael Garza following the guilty verdict for Feit

John Bernard Feit, 84, a former Catholic priest long believed to to have killed 25-year-old Irene Garza (pictured), a Texas beauty queen in 1960 is headed to trial on murder charges
John Bernard Feit, 84 (pictured), a former Catholic priest long-believed to have killed 25-year-old Irene Garza , a Texas beauty queen in 1960 is headed to trial on murder charges

Feit, 84 (right), was long-believed to have killed 25-year-old Irene Garza (left), a Texas beauty queen 

Garza's shoe and purse were found first before her body was. An autopsy revealed that she had been raped while unconscious and then beaten and asphyxiated.

Also found on her was a slide viewer with long black cord, which belonged to Feit.

Authorities questioned the then-27-year-old priest who had scratches on his hand and failed a lie detector test. 

He was later ruled out as a suspect after church officials allegedly pressured police to leave him alone, according to the Houston Chronicle. 

At the time it was unthinkable for a priest to commit such a horrible act. 

Garza (pictured), a schoolteacher and Miss All South Texas Sweetheart 1958, disappeared on Easter weekend in April 1960 and was found dead in a canal five days later

Garza (pictured), a schoolteacher and Miss All South Texas Sweetheart 1958, disappeared on Easter weekend in April 1960 and was found dead in a canal five days later

She was last seen at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, where Feit (pictured) was a visiting priest, for confession with him

She was last seen at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, where Feit (pictured) was a visiting priest, for confession with him

The case went cold until 2002 when McAllen police and Texas Rangers decided to reopen the case.

They interviewed Reverend Joseph O'Brien, a McAllen priest who said he'd seen the scratches on Feit's hands in the days following Garza's disappearance. 

He eventually told Rangers that Feit confessed to killing Garza, as did another priest. 

Authorities questioned the then-27-year-old priest (pictured) who had scratches on his hand and failed a lie detector test. He was later ruled out as a suspect after church officials allegedly pressured police to leave him alone

Authorities questioned the then-27-year-old priest (pictured) who had scratches on his hand and failed a lie detector test. He was later ruled out as a suspect after church officials allegedly pressured police to leave him alone

Two priests revealed that Feit admitted killing Garza. The re-opened case sparked a grand jury probe in 2004, but Feit was never indicted due to a lack of new evidence (Pictured, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas where Feit worked and where Garza was last seen)

Two priests revealed that Feit admitted killing Garza. The re-opened case sparked a grand jury probe in 2004, but Feit was never indicted due to a lack of new evidence (Pictured, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas where Feit worked and where Garza was last seen)

After Ricardo Rodriguez was elected Hildago County district attorney in 2014 he reopened Garza's case and requested a new grand jury, which led to a subsequent indictment against Feit (pictured) in early February 2016. He was arrested at his home in Arizona

After Ricardo Rodriguez was elected Hildago County district attorney in 2014 he reopened Garza's case and requested a new grand jury, which led to a subsequent indictment against Feit (pictured) in early February 2016. He was arrested at his home in Arizona

Jury selection began Monday with opening arguments Friday. Since his extradition last March, Feit has remained in custody at the county jail under 24-hour medical watch because of a slew of ailments (Pictured, Feit with a walker in court)

Jury selection began Monday with opening arguments Friday. Since his extradition last March, Feit has remained in custody at the county jail under 24-hour medical watch because of a slew of ailments (Pictured, Feit with a walker in court)

The re-opened case sparked a grand jury probe in 2004, but Feit was never indicted due to a lack of new evidence.

The case went cold again, until it became the center of the 2014 race for Hildago County district attorney. 

Ricardo Rodriguez, who was running to replace Rene Guerra, promised to re-open the case and bring justice to Garza's family if he won.

After winning, he reopened Garza's case and requested a new grand jury, which led to a subsequent indictment against Feit in early February 2016. 

Garza's body was found in a canal (pictured) five days later. An autopsy revealed that she had been raped while unconscious and then beaten and asphyxiated

Garza's body was found in a canal (pictured) five days later. An autopsy revealed that she had been raped while unconscious and then beaten and asphyxiated

Garza's shoe and purse (pictured) were found first before her body was.
Also found on her was a slide viewer with long black cord, which belonged to Feit (Pictured, Garza's shoe)

Garza's shoe (right) and purse (left) were found first before her body was. Also found on her was a slide viewer with long black cord, which belonged to Feit.

Feit was arrested that month at his home Scottsdale, Arizona, home Rodriguez argued there was enough evidence to prosecute him. 

Since his extradition last March, Feit has remained in custody at the county jail under 24-hour medical watch because of a slew of ailments. 

Since the 1970s, Feit has enjoyed family life. He got married, had children and grandchildren and regularly volunteered at his church.

He publicly denied any involvement in Garza's death on multiple occasions previously. 

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