Update: Eureka Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a car believed to be associated with the killing. From a press release:
The vehicle is described as a dark grey Nissan Altima Hybrid, bearing California license plate 6NDW400.
The Eureka Police Department requests that if the public has information regarding the vehicle’s whereabouts or if the vehicle is located, do not approach the vehicle, and contact the Eureka Police Department Communications Center at 707-441-4044.
Father Eric Freed, pastor of the Eureka St. Bernard’s Parish, was found dead in the church’s H Street rectory by Eureka Police this morning. Eureka Chief Andy Mills announced to a crowd of dozens of churchgoers and community members gathered in front of the church this afternoon that they suspect Freed was the victim of murder. Mills said no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in connection with the crime, and declined to give details of the crime scene, though he added that police don’t suspect anyone else in the community is at risk.
The police were called to investigate around 9 a.m. when church staff found Freed’s body. Mills said the police department is assembling investigators with “as much expertise as possible” and called the case “not a normal death investigation.” The killing occurred sometime between the end of last night’s mass — at approximately 6:30 — and when police arrived this morning.
Eureka Mayor Frank Jager told the gathered crowd that Freed was killed after Mills declined to name the victim. “This is a tremendous loss for our parish and our community in general,” Jager said. “For those of us that believe in prayer, this is the time.”
Freed was also a faculty member of Humboldt State University’s religious studies department.
Eureka police will keep H Street closed to traffic for the time being.
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This article appears in Top 10 Stories of 2013.
Oh God NOOOO!!!!! Father Eric was an incredible man. I spent all my years at HSU at the Newman Center with Father Eric at the helm and my Senior year as President of the Newman Center working with him.
I love him very much and am missing him terribly. RIP my dear friend.
I hope they catch who ever did this!
The Chief of police does not wish to have the identity of the victim given so Mayor Jager takes it upon himself to step over the Chief and announce the victims name. What’s wrong with that picture?
Eric is my brother, I just learned of his death on the news. Praying for your congregation there. Please keep his 5 siblings and dad in yours.
To Lisa W: So sorry for your families loss and our prayers are with you all.
As someone who had met Father Eric only a few times I was impressed with him. He was one of the few people to reached out to the Muslim community here in Humboldt and encouraged people to learn about and respect each others different views. I remember a few years ago when Father Eric brought his class to our prayer service and Ramadan dinners so they could learn about Islam and who Muslims were face to face. I also remember as a nurse Father Eric coming into the ICU to visit the sick a few months ago and having the chance to briefly catch up with him. While I did not know him well I did see the goodness and love the man had for all people. Such a shame to lose such a kind man. May God Mighty and Majestic bring his killer(s) to justice in this life and the next!
Thank you Shadhill, your words bring much comfort. God bless you now and forever.
What if the killer is a minor who was fighting off an unwanted sexual advance? Was there forced entry into the rectory, or did Father Freed know his attacker. Why are the facts of the murder being kept quiet? Usually in cases of sexual murder, there are a lot of knife wounds, or gunshots. Whoever did this hated the father, or what the father was doing to them. If it turns out the priest was ramming a minor, I think the suspect should get off. A position of trust, everyone respected the father, he was friendly with many in the community, was he celibate, or did he like altar boys? Nobody knew, that’s the norm, and those who did are afraid to talk. Who are they gonna believe, the child of the priest. Remember Jerry Sandusky, no one believed his accusers.
@John Rosenwald is a jerk to spread false accusations like that. RIP to Father Eric Freed.
Read this story carefully!
They declined to name Father Freed as a victim, not decline to name a suspect. Police are notorious for their lack of information that they release.
For those of you who are saying ignorant things like the rape and abuse, you should be ashamed of yourselves. This man devoted his entire life to God, that’s worth giving him the benefit of the doubt.
@ Michael Smith: John Rosenwald made no accusation. Unlike you who defame Rosenwald rather than to insist on a full and open investigation. With partial and incomplete investigations the Sandusky crime would be continuing today. No one benefits from an incomplete investigation AND disclosure. No complete investigation tarnishes anyone’s reputation.
This is an unfathomable tragedy. Fr. Eric was a kind/gentle/very knowledgeable man who was selfless in his works. He will be greatly missed in the community. Prayers offered up for Father Eric freed.
God bless this man of God and his family, which includes his faith community. For all those who use this and other threads to take potshots at the Catholic church, consider yourselves prayed for too…and seek professional help!
Automatically talking about sexual abuse because he is a Catholic priest is hate speech. It’s like saying ignorant things like all Muslims are bombers or all Black people are uneducated. Your hateful ignorance is offensive. Not to mention sick. Evil is in the minds of evil peoples. May God rest his soul. Good priests are the salt of the earth.
To Lisa W.
Fr. Eric was so important to me. He was an amazing person and inspired me to be a better person everyday. I am soooo sorry for your families loss. I wish we would hear more about the man he was, his family, and all his works (instead of just this terrible news) I am so so sorry you had to hear of this on the news. That must have just been devastating. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Father was a good and upright man, a loyal and faithful priest. Someone stole his car, I think that whoever did this wanted his car and perhaps tried to steal other items in the rectory. It was someone who maybe even knew the area because they figured out how to open the garage. It was a calculated evil deed, imo. I hope whoever it is gets apprehended before they hurt more people!
I created a memorial page for Fr. Eric. I was searching for stories and pictures of his amazing life and spirit but they are being drowned out by the manner of his death. This way we can focus on his kindness and light.
https://www.facebook.com/Fr.EricFreed
Thank you Stacia your kind words mean a lot to me. I will look up the FB page as well. God bless you beyond measure.
First of all, to those that feel I was spreading false accusations about father freed, that was not my intent. I took one look at the suspect and quickly realized that my thoughts and observations were way off. It is unfortunate that we live in a world where it is possible, even likely that my observations, which were not accusations, might have been true. Occasionally a rare individual, one who is genuine, sincere, and an all around great guy falls victim to our failed mental health system. It is a breath of fresh air to hear other share there memories of such a man, perhaps a saint in your religion. I feel sorry I brought up such a distasteful subject on one hand, and on the other feel that this sick perverse world we live in requires such discussion. What drove this crazed off his meds psychopath to commit such a terrible assault against such a good guy?
Apology accepted John… God blesses a repentant soul.
Oh Creator please reach those who will be without Fathers Freed’s help now. I Loved this man as a person who stood in defiance of the devil even in the face of danger. Because of his faith and his true service to the cause I am certain he is with our Lord Creator. I was a victum of the CIA backed Jose Efrain Rios Montt that was sent to the lighthouse ranch so to make it look like he was saved there and sent out as a legit priest. ( Obviously he wasnt). Father Freed (a blessed man of humanity and God had been exposing the involvement and reporting the eye witness accounts of the Gautamalan Genocide and years the of deception and horror. Father Freed had helped many from other horrorable genocides to tell there story. Through his ministry and his books, there lives started to heal some, from the murder,then the wonder of how a church could send a hitler after a culture of blamless innocent Mayan indians and kill them all if he could. Infact he took 6 missioaries I knew against a brick wall and shot each in there head- dead in front of the entire village before he ordered his general to bury the entire village alive. Pat Roberson and other churches including my Jim Dirkens- G.O. went with the devil as CIA involvement even in twisting the churches away from there original doctrine and purpose distroyed the lives of many americans here as well. The Lighthouse as you know is gone. and the bloggs about what a great guy Montt is has been rapidly vanishing from there web sites. No call to regroup or repent. Just a huge list of people victumized by the leadership of the ministry that were wrongly sent away and spiritualy harmed seems all thats left. The truth is being covered up. I feel Freed was possibly killed for that reason and not due to just what seems a drunk did. People please pray for the victums,the truth to be exposed, the churches, and for all like Father Freed whom stood boldly to help even knowing this may happen. Maybe it was just as it looks. But, as history is being covered up,will what happened to this saint also be left as such. If all the proff shows this could be likly yet there is a big “Air” of words against people thinking such things out;you can bet it is them…the CIA. P.S. It was my aunt and uncle from Virginia that was used to bring Montt with them to the ranch to apparently case the place out in april of 1977. I got the goods on many of the devils and is the reason I suppose,that I’d been shot at 4 times. And 3 as a missionary for G.O., sowas it just some drunk. A coincidence? Pray and ask God to show you the light. Lightning has a habit of not striking twice in the same place.