Nearly 20 years ago, Nugent had been calling many former students from the now-closed Archbishop Keough High School, for a story on Sister Cesnik, who was murdered in 1969. Wehner, who reported her allegations about Maskell to the Baltimore Archdiocese in 1992, claimed that the only nun at the school who sought to help the abused girls was Sister Cathy. Maskell denied involvement in any form of abuse. The Oldest Irish American Newspaper in USA, Established in 1928, Bonds Between Irish America And Ireland Remain Strong: Survey. He refuses to be identified, allegedly because he fears reprisals from people responsible for the cover-up of Sister Cathy's death and Maskell's abuse. Its possible Flaherty and Maskell had some deeper connection at the time that has simply been completely overlooked. They have internal records on everyone including A. Joseph Maskell. In the 1990s, Jean Wehner came forward and alleged that Father Maskell had sexually abused her and allowed other men to do the same. As for filmmakers Ryan White and Jessica Hargrave, after The Keepers they produced a documentary with Dr. Ruth, and then another one about the two women who assassinated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's brother. And after almost 50 years, Sister Cathy's murder has remained unsolved. She wanted to be more. RELATED:16 TV Shows Too Disturbing To Binge-Watch, Most dont believe Gerry Koob when he talks, but a member of the police force, Detective Roemer, claimed that Koob confessed to having a sexual relationship with Sister Cathy before her disappearance. I'm determined that if there is something I can do in my lifetime to change things, I think the keepers has already changed society quite a bit, Hoskins said. 'The Keepers': How 2 women delve into the dark mystery of their teacher Did you face any hurdles? Her mutilated remains were found on January 1970 and her murder is still unsolved. "[9], Wehner said that Cesnik once came to her and said gently, "Are the priests hurting you?" Shes so driven to find out what happened to her teacher. That was the first time I had learned of any of this.. accessed ), memorial page for Sr Catherine Anne "Cathy" Cesnik (17 Nov . But through Gemma and Abbie, we talked to about 25 for the documentary. There are countless untold stories backing up the accusations made against A. Joseph Maskell and the Catholic Church that the docuseries doesnt even begin to explore. Who killed Sister Cathy Cesnik? The real story behind Netflix's new Maskell left Baltimore for Ireland where he obtained amployment as a psychologist. Tweet. Fans of The Keepers may be surprised to hear that Keough High School, where Sister Cathy and A. Joseph Maskell both taught, closed in July of 2017, following confirmation from the Archdiocese of Baltimore that they paid settlements out to students who had been sexually abused by Maskell. The Irish Tenors have been singing together for 25 years and have just embarked on a U.S. tour to mark this standout number. Published: 15:36 EST, 18 May 2017 | Updated: 16:14 EST, 18 May 2017, A New York Times bestselling author Jerry Oppenheimer latest book, 'The Kardashians: An American Drama,' will be published in September. But in interviews conducted before his death, he found these. . I dont know how they do it I dont think she knows. ', He theorized that because there had been no signs of a struggle, 'it looked too clean. Since her mothers death last year, Radakovic has been her familys point of contact with Baltimore investigators, who tell PEOPLE the homicide case is quite active.. Though, of course, they insist theyre doing everything they can to help victims of abuse, on the subject of Maskell, they remain as vague and unhelpful as ever. I'm not going to name names right now but they know stuff. Sister Catherine Ann Cesnik was last seen alive on November 7, 1969. How did the women keep their faith and how were they able to move on and have kids after what they went through? Jean and other former students of Sister Cathy believe that the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the authorities covered up Sister Cathy's murder after she suspected Father Maskell was sexually abusing several young girls at the school. [1] After Maskell died in 2001, the two women decided to go public, using their real names. One of those calls went to a retired Baltimore County teacher, Gemma Hoskins. The only evidence that she had been out, were the buns she had bought at the bakery. In her first interview about Cesnik, Radakovic speaks to PEOPLE about who her sister really was, what the decades after her death have been like and her renewed quest for answers. Her rosary was missing, but her rings were in place? Just Friday, the Archdioceseof Baltimore retweeted something in regardsto documentary, and I was appalledthat the Archdiocese was retweeting something like that and how insulting that must be for our survivors. ', After Maskell's death, Jean Wehner came forward and revealed she was the student who the priest had taken to view Cesnik's body at the dump before her remains were officially found, Wehner claims the only nun at the school who sought to help the abused girls was Sister Cathy, The crime haunted the local community for decades. Maskell was a police chaplain and he knew people in high places that's how they got away with it. The church first learned of the allegations in 1992 and removed Maskell as a priest in 1994, as soon as it had corroborating accounts of his abuse, according to Sean Caine, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The Keepers was an intense docu-series on Netflix about an unsolved murder, and here are some bits of evidence the show has left out. I had fond memoriesof the church, but for this, they were so non-participatory with it. In "The Keepers," Davidson said he called a radio show years later and said he had information about the case. Her cousin was soon to be married and Sister Cathy wanted to shop for an engagement gift, she told her roommate, Sister Helen Phillips, with whom she shared a small garden apartment in Southwest Baltimore, a blue-collar area of the city. In 1994, Fr. But reading through her mothers things the 2015 Huffington Post story was the first clipping she found Radakovic learned about the swirl of rumors and theories that still surrounds Cesniks death. According to the autopsy, she had been struck on the back of her head by either a hammer or a brick, there was a hole the size of a quarter in her skull , and there were strangulation marks on her neck. Five Years After "The Keepers" the Murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik - WMAR There is even more to this than meets the eye; White said there are about thirty-five other survivors just like her, and more reaching out all the time. 'The Keepers': What's Behind the Name of the Netflix - TheWrap Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. There are a lot of people that are living that should be behind bars, she said. What Happened To Sister Russell Phillips? 'The Keepers' Isn't Only Though she spent years in the dark, Radakovic is now regularly in touch with cold-case detectives after first meeting with them in the spring of 2016. There, on the ground, still clad, her face covered with maggots, was the body of Sister Cathy. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. TheWrap: What was the process ofgetting this documentary together? Marilyn Cesnik Radakovic's journey to find out what happened to her older sister, who died nearly 50 years ago, began last year when she read a news article with the headline "Buried in. Information in The Keepers suggests Sister Cathy might have been killed because she found out that priests at Keough were sexually abusing students. She was just 26 at the time of her death. What the show doesnt touch on, however, is Koobs supposed relationship with Sister Cathy. The Keepers centres on the death of 26-year-old nun, Sister Cathy Cesnik, who went missing from Baltimore, Maryland on November 7th, 1969. Joyce Maleckis murder is explored as much as it can be as being potentially connected to the murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, but theres still so much that Abbie, Gemma, and audiences dont know. Moreover, she said that along with the priest, she was abused by police officers. We know this speculation about the circumstances is not false, because Jean Hargadon Wehner tells us in the show that she has evidence proving otherwise. I think he's dead, but I may be wrong. They made the right decision in participating it wasntalways easy to persuade someone to take part. But officials have declined to identify that person. However, the material was never entered into evidence. Magnus died in 1988 and was never charged with any crimes. Except for that day, she said. However, with each day that passes, internet sleuths and hard-boiled detectives alike unveil a new connection or a potential piece of evidence that had been overlooked before in the case. We did it slowly it took three years. Abbie SchaubAnother former student of Sister Cathys, Schaub and Hoskins combined forces to try to uncover what happened to Sister Cathy in 1969. Eluding police questioning, Maskell eventually ran off to Ireland in 1994 to work as a priest. Because the federal government keeps stalling and refusing to release information under the FOIA regarding Joyce Maleckis murder, there are likely countless pieces of possibly helpful evidence related to the homicides of both Joyce Malecki and Sister Cathy. He was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and has written investigative reports for Mother Jones, the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post. A headline in a Baltimore newspaper blared: 'City Police Fail To Find Missing Nun.'. According to CNN, Bode Cellmark Forensics laboratory in Lorton, Virginia was responsible for comparing the DNA to the sample from the murder scene. She was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and had been an English teacher at the Catholic, all-girls, Archbishop Keough High School in Landsdowne. 'The Keepers' Update: New DNA Evidence Found In Sister Cathy Cesniks Murder Case, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Should Remain On-Air Couple After ABC Exit, According to TV Host, Ryan Seacrest Addresses 'American Idol' Future After Exiting 'Live With Kelly and Ryan', 'Yellowstone': Paramount Boss Addresses Matthew McConaughey Spinoff Rumors, 'Yellowstone' Franchise Plans to Debut 2 Shows Every Year, 'Star Trek: Discovery' Fate Revealed at Paramount+ Ahead of Fifth Season, 'The Bachelor' Fans Slam New Season as Boring, Brie & Nikki Bella to Host Reality Competition Series, 'The Office' Alum's Sister-In-Law Found Dead Over 10 Days After Being Reported Missing. True crime is only getting more popular, and Netflix never misses an opportunity to contribute to the zeitgeist, giving us The Keepers. Her body was found a few months later, discarded unceremoniously in a garbage dump. ', Asked how they could get away with such a crime, Lancaster told the TV news interviewer, 'Power and fear. Sister Cathy Cesnik Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock [8], In 1995, Teresa Lancaster and Jean Wehner (ne Hargadon), former students at Keough who say they were sexually abused by Maskell, filed a lawsuit against him, the school, gynecologist Christian Richter, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and William H. Keeler. v. A. Joseph Maskell et al. On November 7, 1969, Cesnik disappeared. White tells us there is some dogged reporting happening right now in Ireland, digging deeper into the time that A. Joseph Maskell spent there, in addition to his time spent in the United States. Cesnik was found on a freezing January day in 1970 in Baltimore County, nearly two months after she vanished near her apartment. When you say survivors, how many are there? They talked about Radakovics impending college graduation and that she might move to Baltimore and stay in Cesniks apartment. It had to be somebody who knew her.'. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. In The Keepers another Keough graduate - Jean Hargadon-Wehner - talked on camera about her abuse by two priests, Neil Magnus and Joseph Maskell, and other men at the school. Spitz did the official autopsy back in 1970. Who killed the nun still remains a mystery today, but . There was only the two of us for a long time, so we were really close, Radakovic says. Teresa Lancaster (Jane Roe)The second plaintiff in the 1994 lawsuit against Maskell, Lancaster was known in the case as Jane Roe. After the failed lawsuit, she went to law school and became a lawyer, working with Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. Both had . I mean, its a survivor story at its core. Advocates, filmmakers say they have not given up. One of the major theories that The Keepers hypothesizes is that Maskell either killed Sister Cathy or had her killed. In 1994, two women identified only as 'Jane Doe' and 'Jane Roe' alleged that Maskell had raped them when they were students at Sister Cathy's school. What we tried to do in the editing was present all various narratives. Hargadon-Wehner's new book "Walking With Aletheia" details her healing process, and what she's learned from - she says - communicating with several different aspects of her personality. She moved into an apartment with another nun and was weighing her options. Sister Cathy Cesnik's Sister on Her Murder, The Keepers - Peoplemag I do believe in so many other things than I ever did before. When she realized Sister Cathy was missing, she called Koob, and together with him and McKeon, the three later called the police. And this was how she had explained it to me. Cathy's Ford Maverick, which she had recently purchased, was found just a block from her apartment parked illegally in a no parking area and unlocked. Meteorological records also reveal that temperatures during the week in question were warm enough for maggots to hatch. Marilyn Cesnik Radakovics journey to find out what happened to her older sister, who died nearly 50 years ago, began last year when she read a news article with the headline Buried in Baltimore.. Sister Cathy Cesnik's disappearance and murder remain an unsolved mystery. An image of Sister Cathy Cesnik's car found near her apartment the night she went missing Nov. 7, 1969 in Baltimore County. Police exhume priest's body in murdered nun cold case | CNN Ahead of Netflix doc, our 2005 story "Who Killed Sister Cathy?: One of Her account was brought into question by scientific evidence showing that it would have been impossible for maggots to be alive at that time of year. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Throughout the series,the devastation experienced bysurvivors is laid bare,as is theirstrength in confronting unthinkable childhood horrors. He claims he interviewed more than 100 girls in the case who knew of or were involved in sexual abuse. "Buried in Baltimore: The Mysterious Murder of a Nun Who Knew Too Much", "Justice for Sister Cathy is Long Overdue", "With New Lead, Police Reopen Old Murder Case", "Timeline: The Sister Catherine Cesnik Case", "Sister Catherine Cesnik Case: Missing Nun's Body Found in Lansdowne", "Baltimore Priest Victim: Police Were in on Sexual Abuse", "Jane Doe et al. The Maryland Attorney Generals office has been investigating sexual abuse in the catholic church for nearly four years. [11] Cesnik's body was not found until January 3, 1970, and its discovery by two hunters was not in the wooded location near Fort Meade, but on the open hill trash dump of a small business property in Lansdowne. She said, You need to come home right away. James Maskell, A. Joseph Maskells uncle, is a similarly powerful and threatening figure that deserves to be prodded harder. Hoskins says at a minimum she wants to see records on Father Maskell. We shared a room until she went into the convent. The series also renewed the investigations into the murders of two women, Sister Cathy Cesnik and Joyce Malecki. A Timeline Of Sister Cathy Cesnik's Disappearance - Romper Jane Doe (Jean Wehner) is quoted as recalling a man she knew only as Brother Bob, who she can hardly remember from being traumatized so badly by him, whispering to her that he was the one who had killed Sister Cathy. There are many questions swirling around the death of Sister Catherine "Cathy" Cesnik, a beloved 26-year-old nun and teacher in Baltimore found . However, she didnt want to go on the record. And I no longer need to have validation from others about what I witnessed during the crimes that were committed against me and others., The victim added that the archdiocese of Baltimore has been hiding behind the statute of limitations.. Since then, he's been tracking and investigating the story over the years and is one of the investigators of her death in "The Keepers.". When she first went in [to the convent], they had visitation days and my parents and I always went down for the visitation days, we never missed them, Radakovic says. Nugents insights on the matter will be featured in the Netflix series. She was valedictorian at the graduation of her high school class in 1960, after being the May Queen and the president of the senior class and the student council. He died in 2006. 'There were a lot of layers that if you peeled them back went a lot deeper. Tom NugentFreelance journalist Tom Nugent covered Sister Cathy's death starting in 1994. Catherine Anne Cesnik was born on November 17, 1942, in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Six years Cesniks junior, Radakovic grew up as her tag-along and daily charge, as Cesnik babysat while their parents worked. I don't understand what happens on the other side, she said. An autopsy revealed Cathy Cesnik had been struck on the back of her head, there was a hole the size of a quarter in her skull, and there were strangulation marks on her neck. Father A. Joseph MaskellAn administrator, psychologist and counselor at Keough when Sister Cathy was a teacher there, Maskell has been accused by dozens of students and other children of sexual abuse. Her body was found in Lansdowne, south of Baltimore,. Is Sister Cathy Cesnik's Death Connected to Sex Scandal? - PEOPLE.com Father Maskell was also, for a time, an assistant pastor at St. Clements Church in Landsdowne. Much like the government, the Catholic Church has their own internal system for keeping track of the people who make up their organization. Sister Cathys battered body - she had been beaten over the head - was discovered off Monumental Avenue, in a Landsdowne, Baltimore County, Maryland, garbage dump by hunters, on January 3, 1970. Four former students also claimed that they were abused by Maskell, and a Baltimore Archdiocese spokesman acknowledged that Maskell was 'credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors. Her hope clung to a strange letter she had received in the mail, apparently sent by Cesnik and postmarked the day after she went missing. The Keough priest who allegedly masterminded the sex abuse, Father A. Joseph Maskell, died in 2001 and denied the abuse accusations before his death. Though White says he included absolutely all the information he knew in the documentary, he did contradict himself later by saying, The project was heavily vetted by lawyers there were times when I believed we knew somebody that was involved in the abuse, but we couldn't include a name for legal reasons. True crime buffs will know that this often happens, that the law tangles everything up in red tape so details like names and dates will be removed from stories. A writ of certiorari was granted by the Maryland Court of Appeals, which upheld the lower court decision, ruling in part, "that the mental process of repression of memories of past sexual abuse does not activate the discovery rule. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Biden appears confused in bizarre exchange while struggling to explain why he still hasn't visited East Palestine weeks after devastating train derailment - as he heads to Delaware home, 'American aircraft, this is the PLA Air Force': Moment Chinese fighter jet and guided-missile destroyer threaten U.S. reconnaissance plane in heart-stopping confrontation over the South China Sea, Turkey is rocked by powerful 5.5 magnitude earthquake just weeks after it shattered by catastrophe that left 50,000 dead and more than a million homeless. Sister Helen Russell PhillipsSister Cathy's roommate in 1969 when she disappeared. He worked on the story for the next year and a half, but said in "The Keepers" the archdiocese in Baltimore stonewalled him at every turn. Netflix's documentary series "The Keepers" dives into the case and uncovers a web of abuse that may be the source of a cover up and the murder. Woman Found Nearly One Month After Disappearance, Former Husband of Woman Whose Murder Remains Unsolved Is Now Accused of Assaulting Current Partner, 'I Lied': What Casey Anthony Believes Actually Happened to Her Daughter Caylee, Toddler Found Alive in Apartment After His Mother and Grandfather Were Shot to Death, The Mysterious Murder Victim Known as the 'Lady of the Dunes' Identified After Nearly 50 Years, Netflix Documentary Looks at Vanessa Guillen's Murder and Family's Fight for Answers from Military. For the next 47 years, the case went unsolved until now. The trial court dismissed the action as time-barred by the statute of limitations. The only way to do that was to find people who were involved. In the process of cleaning out her belongings, Radakovic discovered her mom had collected years of articles about the death of her eldest daughter, Radakovics sister, 26-year-old nun Sister Catherine Cathy Cesnik. Tom Nugent, author of the acclaimed Death at Buffalo Creek, and an investigative journalist, has been writing about Sister Cathys case since 1994, and recently in his online publication, Inside Baltimore.. Among the other errands she ran that night, Cesnik was also looking to buy a present for her sister. Peter McKeonMcKeon was also a priest, and accompanied Koob to Sister Cathy's apartment when Sister Russell called to say she was missing. With new evidence cropping up recently, this article has been updated to reflect evenmorefacts and clues that the docuseries overlooked. And this update involves Father Joseph Maskell. He first reported on Sister Cathy's story because of Wehner's accusation that Maskell was involved in her murder. She joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame when she was 18. The series delves deeply into sexual abuse allegations and a lawsuit against Father Maskell brought by Jane Doe, now identified as Wehner, and Jane Roe, since identified as Teresa Lancaster. Radakovic was Cesnik's younger sister. Detectives traveled to the Seattle area to interview the man, but without any solid evidence they were unable to elicit a confession. This begs the question, though, that if White says he included everything he knew, and we know he had to remove names for legal reasons where in the documentary does he reveal these hidden suspects? Were you scared of taking on the Catholic Church? Brother BobA third abuser who "Jane Doe" remembers from her days at Keough, but whose face she cannot recall. It just means that there's no link between Maskell and the crime scene. Their work is featured prominently, in "The Keepers..