Justice for Irene: Former priest on trial for 1960 beauty queen murder

TEXAS
News 4

[with video]

BY DELAINE MATHIEU, NEWS 4 SAN ANTONIO

SAN ANTONIO — It was one of the oldest cold cases in Texas: the murder of Irene Garza in McAllen in 1960. Now, as a former priest awaits trial for the crime, there are concerns by some who question if Irene will get justice.

She was a beauty queen from McAllen who melted hearts all over the Rio Grande Valley.

“That’s the way I remember her,” said Carlos Cantu, a family friend. “She was just very very special because of her beauty and she had a very soft voice when she spoke, you know.”

Timeline

She was only 25 when she died. Her brutal murder on Easter Weekend in 1960 sent fear through the streets of this South Texas town.

It would take 56 years before the only suspect in the case, ex-priest John Feit, would be charged for the crime. The 83-year-old was extradited from Arizona in March after newly-elected Hidalgo County District Attorney, Ricardo Rodriguez, took on the case.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.