“Made comments about the bishop”: David O'Connell shooting suspect Carlos Medina allegedly claimed clergyman owed him money

Carlos Medina, a 65-year-old man, killed the Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Medina claimed that he killed the 69-year-old Bishop as he owed Medina some money.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna spoke in an official press conference and said that during the course of the investigation of the murder, they received an anonymous tip. According to the tipster, Carlos Medina had been exhibiting suspicious behavior in the aftermath of the killing

Medina was arrested shortly after the murder of O'Connell on February 20, 2023.

Luna told the press that Carlos Medina allegedly told the anonymous tipster that the Bishop owed Medina money. Luna added that the tipster informed detectives that the 65-year-old was exhibiting strange behavior, he was also being irrational, and even "made comments about O'Connell owing him money."

Los Angeles authorities reported that Medina was married to O'Connell's housekeeper, and had also supposedly done housework for the Bishop in the past.

---

Police haven't confirmed if money was the motive behind Carlos Medina murdering the Bishop

While Luna did confirm that Carlos Medina had said that the Bishop owed him money, investigators are yet to confirm if that was the reason behind the slaying.

Luna said:

“I am not certain of any dispute. That’s something that came up from one of the witnesses, but as all of you know, our investigation continues, which means interviewing multiple witnesses to find out and get a better picture of what happened here.”

As per the New York Post, Medina's neighbor Luis Lopez said that while the suspect is retired, he was reportedly facing financial difficulties at the time of the murder.

Lopez said:

“I couldn’t believe it myself. He looks harmless. Him and his wife, they’re (an) average, older couple.”

He added that Medina seemed like a good, average older man, who was always talkative.

Lopez added that on the day of the murder, Medina's wife had not been working. Authorities confirmed that the suspect's wife, who identified as a devout Catholic, had been cooperating in the investigation.

Another resident, a tenant who lived in the back unit of Medina's residence, said that neither Medina nor his wife were at home when authorities first arrived. Officials stated that at the time, they found various tools scattered around the suspect's yard.

Neighbor Marty Hernandez told reporters:

“(Medina) always seemed like an odd person (He would come home late and always had) weird stuff around his pad.”

At the scene of the crime, investigators found two firearms, though they could not confirm whether or not either of them was used in the murder of the Bishop.

According to The Independent, in recent years, David O'Connell was best known for his work with families from Central American Immigrant communities. His murder currently remains under police investigation.