In a disturbing story out of France, a 19-year-old man was arrested in the murder of a 91-year-old priest, Roger Matassoli.

The priest allegedly molested four boys, including the suspect and his father, and the priest was found in his home with a crucifix shoved down his throat last month.

On Thursday, the suspect was formally charged with the crime.

Fr Roger Matassoli, 91, was found dead on 4 November at his home near Beauvais, choked by a crucifix stuffed down his throat. There were also multiple blows to his body. A 19-year-old suspect named Alexandre was soon arrested but has been held in hospital because he appeared delirious. A month later, the suspect’s father told a newspaper the priest had abused him years ago and still influenced him as an adult. Matassoli later abused Alexandre and had him clean his house while naked. The father, given the pseudonym Stéphane by the daily Le Parisien, said the abuse had worsened Alexandre’s mental problems.

A lot of the details remain sketchy, and the main sources of information come from historically unreliable sources, so take this all with a grain of salt. That said, the stories indicate that Matassoli remained on the Church’s payroll, despite the allegations that stretch from 1960 to 2000 and despite “retiring” in 2009.

We don’t know if the suspect considered pressing charges rather than take the priest’s life into his own hands. We also don’t know what’s become of the priest’s other alleged victims. In any case, the victim of sexual abuse may end up going to jail for his act of retaliation.

(Image via Shutterstock)

