7 PAGES NONRESPONSIVE
5I
American Priest Slain in CoafetnaLi
Father Stanley F. Rother, an Arncrican missionary priest injo Alitlan. Gu terra La. "is murdered in ha bedroom in the parish house it0 hours local lime onoly. The solelo part of live owrder. Francbeo Bocri.be brother of Father Rother'* .'ormcr assistant, stated that thruing crriiiaa dotbes and ski masks enurrcd his room and asked where Padre Francisco was. The men. *ho spoke Spanbh and were "Ladinos" (non-I'.idtank had looked in the apsiaits rooms before entering Bocel'j room. 7heyun to his bead and ordered him to call Father Rother. who was sleeping downstairs. (Faiher Roiher had cot slept in hisupstairs since he returned from Oklahoma Cityil after leaving Guatemala in January because of deathocel refused the order, but they forced him downstairs where he knocked on the door and told Roiher that some men wanted to sec him. When Rother opened Ihe door, tbe men jumped him and ordered Bocel to return to his room and lock theocel heard noisestruggle, followed by two shots. After staying in his room aboutinutes, during which time he heard the men goine through ihe house. Bocel found Rother's body on the floor. He then ran to the back of the church property where Ihe nans and an American nurse were staying. The nurse determined that Rotlicr e
Medical personnel sUted that two bcllets had entered Father Roiher's head. One bullet entered the lower jaw and remained lodged in the bone on ihe opposite side. The second bullet, which caused the death, entered the left temple and passed through the bead,arge hole on (he rightlugasing found at ihe scene indicated that Ihe bullets were 9mm of Smith and Wesson manufacture. The priest had biases on his body, probably inflicted by the attackers, and on his hands.
A motive for shetill unclear even though three men have been arrested in connection with the crime. Tbe three in custody bare admitted to an attempted robbery. If robbery were the motive,mall amount of cash was takenetty cash bo* and such itemsransistor radio, calculator, and hunting knife were left in place.in Rother's room.han an overturned end table and lamp, were in order. Rooms in the rest of the house "appeared" to have been ransacked; drawers had been pulled cut and the contents emptied on the floor but boxeshest had not been touched. The unanswered question is whyobbery attempt the men would specifically askther Rother. as Bocel totifialJHkA
Rother spoke fluent Cachiquel. one of the major local dialects, and spentears working among the Tiulujil Indians. In January, awarned the priest thai he was in "extreme danger" and lhai he
m
2 PAGES NONRESPONSIVE
i An**
NOTE
oaUftatcxaaj
ClifTonl Berens, the American manaier of tbe GraiemiUn ratad-tiry of Goodyear Tire Com parry*ts kidaipeetfetxmber
n mx ,he iswe rfecember
Recent raids on ufeboojes belonging to the Oryiniiaiioo of Peopk in Anns (ORPA) by Guatemalan officials turned op dccauneoU thatORPA was responsible for tbe kidnapping. Tbe docameoa do notad) ai lo the location of Bevem, endo carrcot ra-onnatwo on the lurai of the negotiations. The imcim ORPA has demanded for bisSilO million. Bevernthe ooJy US. exuaa corrraUy beioc held hostage anybereerrorbt grotrp. #M
7 PAGES NONRESPONSIVE
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: