Priest Gets Life Sentence in Cold-Case Murder of Texas Beauty Queen

Former priest John Feit sits with his lawyer O. Rene Flores (L) before the start of the sentencing phase of his trial for the 1960 murder of Irene Garza in the 92nd state District Court at the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas, U.S., December 8, 2017. Reuters/Nathan Lambrecht/The Monitor/Pool

SAN ANTONIO—A retired Catholic priest convicted of murdering a former beauty queen who came to him for confession was sentenced to life in prison by a jury in south Texas on Friday, local media reported, ending a cold case that has troubled the community for nearly 60 years.

John Feit, a visiting priest in McAllen, Texas, when the second-grade teacher came to him for confession during Holy Week in 1960, was convicted on Thursday of premeditated murder in the death of Irene Garza, then 25.