Auxiliary Bishop O’Connell was adored by many, a fact reflected in the thousands of parishioners who attended three days of services in his honor last week, capped by a funeral Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles.
While the funeral Mass on Friday was the coda on weeks of mourning and memorials since O’Connell was found shot to death in side his Hacienda Heights home on Feb. 18, the story of his passing, and its impact, is not yet over.
Questions remain, spanning from the criminal investigation into his death to the process for picking a successor to O’Connell, who was the L.A. Archdiocese’s top administrator in its San Gabriel Valley region.
Here’s a look at what’s next as the impact of the bishop’s passing continues to be felt across the region.
What’s next in the criminal case against suspect Carlos Medina?
The man accused of killing the bishop, Carlos Medina, appeared in court shortly after his arrest but his arraignment was postponed until March 22. If convicted as charged, Medina could face 35 years to life in prison.
The handyman, 61 at the time of the death, worked for the bishop and has confessed to investigators, the district attorney has said, adding that investigators believe they found the gun used in the killing.
Medina’s wife, a devout Catholic, also worked for the bishop at his modest Hacienda Heights home as a housekeeper. The sheriff has said she has cooperated with authorities in their investigation.
Law-enforcement officials have not revealed a possible motive.
Medina has claimed to investigators that the bishop owed him money; it is unclear if that was true. But a sheriff’s lieutenant has said Medina’s comments have largely not made sense — so investigators have discounted owed money as a motive.
What, if any, defense strategy Medina’s lawyer will deploy is unclear. That will start to emerge after the arraignment.
Where will Bishop O’Connell be buried?
After the funeral Mass…
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