Murder in Mistrató

Source: Agence France Press, Univision, 11-23-2007

In the town of Mistrató in western Colombia, Fr. José Francey Díaz, a Roman Catholic priest, has been arrested in connection with the deaths of his lover, María del Carmen Arango, and their 5-year old daughter, María Camilla.

The corpses of the two victims were found burned to death on the outskirts of the village on February 15th. Near the ashes, police found a photograph of the victims with the priest. Subsequent DNA tests established that the priest was the father of the little girl.

Police hypothesize that the priest killed the woman and the girl following an argument with the woman who confronted him about an alleged infidelity and threatened to expose their relationship. The couple had been lovers for eleven years, according to the victim's brother. Fr. Díaz was 18 years older than his lover.