Arrest made in slaying of religious sister at New Mexico convent

Gallup, N.M., Nov 5, 2009 / 20:46 pm

The FBI has made an arrest in the slaying of a religious sister who was found dead in St. Berard’s Convent in Navajo, New Mexico.

Sr. Marguerite Bartz, 64, worked on a New Mexico Indian reservation. Her body was found on Sunday Nov. 1 by a colleague after she failed to attend Mass that morning in nearby Sawmill.

The FBI told the Associated Press they had arrested one person early Thursday in Navajo.

A Honda CRV last seen in Sister Marguerite’s possession was reported as missing. According to a press release from the Diocese of Gallup, the FBI located the vehicle and said it would be brought to Albuquerque where it will be processed for evidence after a search warrant is secured.

The diocese said that reports of the manner or nature of Sr. Marguerite’s death should be seen as “speculation.” It reported that it has been instructed by the FBI to rely only on information released through the Bureau’s agents.

CNA contacted the FBI for further information on the arrest but did not receive a response by publication time.

The Diocese of Gallup on Tuesday announced that a Rosary for Sr. Marguerite will be held at the St. Michael Indian School student chapel on Friday, while the funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Gallup at 10 a.m. Her burial will take place at the St. Michael Indian School Sisters’ Cemetery.

In a previous statement, the Diocese of Gallup said Sr. Marguerite was “known to be a woman always passionate for justice and peace – and the life she lived would tell us that she would respond to this incident with a spirit of forgiveness towards whoever is responsible for these acts.”