Former priest will fight extradition on murder charge

PHOENIX - A former priest accused of murdering a parishioner in Texas in 1960 will fight extradition, he told a judge Wednesday.

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John Feit, now in his 80s, was arrested this week for the murder of Irene Garza. Garza, a 25-year-old former beauty queen, was found dead in a canal in McAllen, Texas. She was last seen at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, giving confession to Feit.

"I’m totally puzzled why something is coming up now," Feit told a judge during his initial appearance in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Prosecutors in Hidalgo County, Texas, where the crime took place, have sealed the indictment, and have not commented about any new evidence.

After Feit quit the priesthood, he married and had a family before moving to the Arcadia neighborhood in Phoenix. There, he was active in his local Catholic church, St Theresa's Parish on Thomas Rd. And he spent years working for The Society of St. Vincent de Paul as a volunteer coordinator, officials said.

“If you were to mention kind caring compassionate, loving, wonderful, hardworking, humble, that’s John Feit," St. Vincent de Paul's Executive Director Steve Zabilski said.

Reverend Charles Kieffer at St Theresa sent a statement to his staff and to 12 News.

We were saddened to hear of the recent arrest of John Feit, who was an active member of the St. Theresa Parish community for over 30 years. Mr. Feit was arrested in connection with the death of a woman that took place in Texas in 1960, where at the time he was serving as a Catholic priest. He is now in the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, where he awaits extradition to Texas.

At a time such as this, it is wise for us to remember that our justice system in the United States is based on the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty.

We ask your prayers for Mr. Feit, his family – as well as the family of the victim and all who are involved in this case. May God guide the Texas court system so that true justice is attained for all."

The Catholic Diocese of Phoenix issued a statement Thursday as well.

Yesterday the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix learned of the arrest of former priest John Feit, who was taken into custody on a murder charge out of Hildago County, Texas, in connection with the death of Irene Garza in 1960.

Feit, who was married, is not a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix and did not have faculties to celebrate the Mass or sacraments of the Catholic Church.

The Diocese of Phoenix is committed to providing a safe environment where it values and honors every individual as created in the image and likeness of God. Great efforts have been made to put systems into place to keep our people safe. Anyone who may have information concerning this investigation or any illegal activities is encouraged to call a local law enforcement agency."