Pastor at West Tampa Church Commits Suicide Amid Financial Inquiry

By Keeley Sheehan
Tampa Bay Times
May 16, 2014

http://www.tampabay.com/404.page

The pastor of a West Tampa Catholic church hanged himself with a leather belt this week amid an investigation the diocese was conducting into parish finances, authorities said.

Around 8 a.m. Monday, a maintenance man found Father Vladimir Dziadek at the bottom of a staircase inside the administrative offices of St. Joseph Catholic Church, 3012 W Cherry St., according to a Tampa Police Department incident log.

A belt was found tied to the banister. No note was found, the incident log said.

According to a report by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office, a Tampa police officer said the Rev. Dziadek, 56, was depressed after parishioners discovered he had embezzled about $200,000 from the church and "gambled it away."

The report said the officer noted that Rev. Dziadek had been removed from administrative duties at the church and had a hearing with church members set for Monday.

Liquor bottles and casino vouchers were found in his room, the report said, without providing elaboration.