Edinberg (TX)
The [McAllen TX] Monitor
September 10, 2017
By Lorenzo Zazueta-Castro
[PHOTO: John Feit, the former priest accused of killing a McAllen teacher 55 years ago, has waived his right to an extradition hearing. That means Texas has 30 days to pick him up from Arizona to face a murder charge.]
EDINBURG TX — Two of the most highly anticipated trials in recent county history are set to begin in the coming weeks.
In the next several weeks, the trials in the Monica Melissa Patterson and former priest John Bernard Feit cases will begin, but their high-profile nature have created delays in the former’s court proceedings due to the national media attention surrounding the circumstances of the latter — a cold case that’s already been featured on CBS’s 48 Hours.
Beginning Sept. 18, jury selection will begin in the Patterson case, which stems from the capital murder charge facing the 50-year-old former director of local short-term hospice facility Comfort House in connection with the January 2015 death of 96-year-old Martin Knell.
Most recently, in late August, a group of potential jurors filled out questionnaires in preparation for jury selection in Patterson’s trial.
Her trial will precede the Feit cold case, which involves the 84-year-old former man of the cloth being accused of killing and dumping the body of Irene Garza, a popular school teacher and local beauty queen nearly 60 years ago.
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