Medical examiner: Father Virgilio Elizondo committed suicide Elizondo has denied accusations made in a 2015 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy decades ago.

This house at 2027 W. French is where an alleged shooting call came from on March 15, 2016. Renowned theologian Virgil Elizondo died Monday and may have lived at this house. A lawsuit was filed in Bexar County last May accusing him of sexually abusing an unidentified boy more than 30 years ago. Elizondo denied the allegation an vowed to prove his innocence. less This house at 2027 W. French is where an alleged shooting call came from on March 15, 2016. Renowned theologian Virgil Elizondo died Monday and may have lived at this house. A lawsuit was filed in Bexar County ... more Photo: John Davenport, San Antonio Express-News Photo: John Davenport, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Medical examiner: Father Virgilio Elizondo committed suicide 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Medical Examiner determined Tuesday that Father Virgilio Elizondo committed suicide Monday afternoon.

Though details on the circumstances of the priest’s final moments are still unclear, the medical examiner released Elizondo’s official cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head and his manner of death as suicide shortly before 2 p.m.

According to the San Antonio Police Department, officers responded to a call for a shooting at Elizondo’s West Side home fewer than 10 minutes before his official time of death on Monday, according to the law enforcement and county records.

According to SAPD, officers responded to the call at 1:55 p.m. at 2027 W. French Place, a home owned by Elizondo, Bexar County Appraisal District records show. On Tuesday, the Medical Examiner confirmed to mySA.com that Elizondo was pronounced dead five minutes after officers arrived.

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SAPD has yet to release a report or any details on the circumstances of Elizondo’s death.

Elizondo, 80, had been living under a cloud of suspicion after a lawsuit filed in Bexar County last year accused him of sexually abusing an unidentified boy more than 30 years ago — a charge he vehemently denied.

On Tuesday, Thomas J. Henry, who is representing the plaintiff in the lawsuit filed against Elizondo and another priest, called the priest's death "unfortunate."

"The next stage in this litigation was discovery production and the taking of depositions," Henry said. "The taking of Father Elizondo's deposition could have led us to the truth regarding his actions, and his untimely death at this juncture raises even more questions. We will continue to seek and uncover the facts of this matter."

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A highly respected scholar and author, Elizondo founded the Mexican American Cultural Center, now the Mexican American Catholic College, a research and training center for pastoral leaders who come from all over the United States and Latin America to study. The college’s library is named for him.

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According to several online biographies, Elizondo was the recipient of numerous awards, including the John Courtney Murray Award for outstanding theological contributions from the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Johannes Quasten Award for excellence and leadership in theological development from the Catholic University of America, the Humanitarian Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame, which is considered one of the most prestigious awards for U.S. Catholics.

Staff Writer Elaine Ayala contributed to this report.

mdwilson@express-news.net

Twitter: @MDWilsonSA