Father Kunz’s murder occurred in 1998 and was a precursor of sorts to the clergy abuse scandal that erupted in 2002, not to mention the crisis we’re experiencing in the Church today. The late Father John Hardon, who was a friend of Father Kunz -- as was Father Malachi Martin -- believed the murder was Church-related. However, to my knowledge, Father Hardon never elaborated on that point. Father Martin believed it was the work of Satanists. The true motive remains unknown, as does the killer.
I, along with Father Richard Heilman and others, was interviewed for an episode of the HLN/CNN show “Real Life Nightmare with Paul Holes,” which originally aired in December 2022. The episode is a good, albeit simplistic, overview of the case. The episode leaves out a decent amount of information, yet for many Catholics (and non-Catholics) who might have a passing interest in the case, it’s probably an appropriate length.
For now, the full episode can be seen free of charge on YouTube below. (It was removed once before; we’ll see how long it stays. I did not upload it to YouTube.) If the episode does get removed, it can be seen for a nominal fee on various streaming services. Look for “Secrets in the Catholic Church: Father Kunz Murder.”
Anyone with information pertaining to the case should call the Dane County Sheriff's Office at (608) 284-6800. I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dan Landi
Kidder, MO
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