A Catholic diocese in Ohio says a parish priest under investigation for "questionable" communications with a minor and possible misuse of church funds killed himself in downtown Chicago this week.
The Catholic Diocese of Columbus said in a statement Thursday that the Rev. James Csaszar killed himself Wednesday in Chicago. According to authorities, his body was found just before 9 a.m. in the 200 block of North Columbus Drive, just outside the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel where he was a guest, the hotel confirmed.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office said Csaszar died of multiple injuries caused by jumping from the hotel. His death was ruled a suicide.
Csaszar was pastor of Church of the Resurrection in the Columbus suburb of New Albany.
The diocese's statement says Csaszar was placed on administrative leave last month when officials learned of "excessive and questionable" text and phone communications with a minor and possible misuse of funds while pastor at St. Rose of Lima Parish in New Lexington.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation began looking into Csaszar after the diocese learned of the allegations and contacted police in New Lexington, roughly 55 miles (89 kilometers) southeast of Columbus.
New Lexington police told NBC's Columbus affiliate station, NBC4i, that the criminal investigation will continue despite Csaszar's death.
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New Lexington residents said they were shocked to hear the news.
“You could always talk to him and felt comfortable speaking with him and he was always there to listen to you no matter where he was on the street or what it was,” restaurant owner Cheryl Dodson told NBC4i. “He was one of my favorites. Out of all the catholic priests I’ve known and affiliated with, he was one of my favorites.”
