Ex-priest arrested in 1960 slaying of Texas beauty queen

PHOENIX — An 83-year-old former priest was arrested Tuesday in Scottsdale in connection with the 1960 slaying of a Texas beauty queen, authorities said.

John Feit was booked into Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix and is awaiting extradition to Hidalgo County, Texas, where he is facing a murder charge, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Irene Garza was 25 years old when her body was found in a canal in April 1960. At the time, Feit was a Catholic priest and considered a lead in the case. He left the priesthood, but accusations of his alleged involvement in Garza's death lingered.

Feit's bond was set at $750,000.

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At his initial court appearance in Phoenix, Feit seemed confused at the court process. He said he didn't understand why now, after all these years, this was coming to a head. The crime happened in 1960, he told the commissioner.

"There's no statute of limitations on that sort of crime," she told him.

Feit said about 13 years ago, detectives came here to question him "extensively," and collect his DNA.

"I'm totally puzzled why something is coming up now, after the fact," he said, adding that his "instinct is telling me to fight extradition."

An extradition hearing was set for Feb. 24.

In a statement released Tuesday night, Maricopa County sheriff's spokesman Joaquin Enriquez said deputies assisted the Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers in making the arrest.

Feit, a longtime Arizona resident, has continued to deny any involvement.

Authorities say Garza visited Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas, where Feit was a priest, on April 16, 1960. Garza, who was Miss All South Texas Sweetheart 1958, had planned to go to confession that evening but never returned home. Her body was found days later in an irrigation canal.

According to an autopsy, Garza died from a head injury.

Feit was a suspect in the killing. The case was reopened in 2004 but a grand jury did not indict the former priest. He was never arrested or charged in the case.

Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez said he presented the case against Feit to a grand jury last week.

Rodriguez said: "We felt that we had sufficient evidence to present to a grand jury. It was presented last week, and they came back with a true bill."

Contributing: The Associated Press