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Man held in Michigan sought in ex-priest slaying in Nevada

Posted at 1:51 PM, Jun 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-04 16:52:42-04

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say a 25-year-old man being held in a Michigan jail is the suspect of the killing in Nevada of a defrocked Roman Catholic priest who faced what the church called credible accusations of sexual abuse in New Jersey.

Court documents say Derrick Mitchell Decoste met and exchanged messages with 70-year-old John Capparelli for several weeks after answering an internet ad for male wrestlers.

Police say Decoste owned the gun used to shoot Capparelli dead in his Henderson home.

A police report suggests robbery was the motive for the killing.

It says Dacoste's girlfriend turned over to police a bag containing items belonging to Capparelli, including a distinctive Newark Teachers Union wristwatch.

Capparelli was named in February among 180 priests listed by five New Jersey dioceses as alleged sex abusers.