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Alleged abuse victim accused of killing priest by ramming crucifix down his throat: report

A teenager in northern France is accused of killing a priest who allegedly abused him — by ramming a crucifix down the cleric’s throat.

Roger Matassoli, 91, had been accused of molesting at least four people during a decades-long career with the French Roman Catholic church, FranceInfo reported.

The perpetrator was identified only as Alexandre V., who worked as a housekeeper at the priest’s home in Agnetz, Oise, northern France and was busted by police as he tried to escape the residence. The priest was also accused of molesting Alexandre’s father.

The suspect was arrested and charged with murder, torture and resisting arrest. French authorities are treating the crime as a revenge killing.

Despite a long history of allegations, Matassoli was shuffled around to different locations and remained on the church payroll until 2018, something church officials chalked up to an “ecclesiastical error.”





The sister of one abuse victim, identified only as Colette, offered a graphic description to FranceInfo of Matassoli’s alleged crimes inflicted on her brother Jacques.

“There were showers, there were photo scenes: The priest asked Jacques to get naked on his bed. Matassoli also masturbated on my brother,” she told the outlet.





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Filed under france , murders , priests , 12/28/19