June 21, 2012
Man Sentenced for Killing Colombian Priests
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - A Colombian judge has sentenced a man to more than 40 years in prison for murdering two Bogota priests who allegedly paid him to end their lives.
Gilberto Penate had confessed to shooting to death Roman Catholic Revs. Rafael Reatiga and Richard Piffano in early 2011 and make it appear like a robbery. Prosecutors say Reatiga was suffering from AIDS and syphilis and prosecutors determined that the priests had paid Penate and another gunman $8,400 to kill them.
Penate said when he met with Reatiga to discuss arrangements for the killings, the priest was in distress. Prosecutors said Reatiga had been seen in gay bars.
The sentence was announced by prosecutors on Wednesday via text message.
