Police arrest suspect in California priest killing

EUREKA, Calif. – Police arrested a suspect Thursday in the killing of a respected priest and educator who was found dead on New Year’s Day in a church rectory in Northern California.

Gary Lee Bullock, 43, of Redway, was taken into custody by Humboldt County deputies in the killing of the Rev. Eric Freed, according to Eureka police.

Police said Bullock had been in and out of police custody in the hours before Freed died and had been sent to a hospital for an exam because of his erratic behavior. Officials were still seeking a motive in the killing.

Freed’s body was found at St. Bernard Church after he failed to show up for morning Mass.

It is not clear exactly when or how Freed was killed. His body showed signs of blunt force trauma. Investigators also found indications of forced entry and a struggle.

Freed had taught classes on religion at Humboldt State University since 2007, including “Introduction to Christianity” and a class on Japanese calligraphy. Humboldt State is a small university of 8,000 students near Redwood National Park, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.