Former students of the Catholic school have maintained that the priest was somehow involved in Sister Cathy's murder. Months later, Radakovic became engaged (to the man who is still her husband) and she called Cesnik to ask her to be her maid of honor and discuss details of the wedding. In the end, The Keepers doesnt solve its biggest question: Who killed Sister Cathy? Her body was found in a wooded area two days later. And this update involves Father Joseph Maskell. RELATED: 10 Exciting New Netflix Originals Still Coming In 2019. But officials have declined to identify that person. In 1994, two victims, known then as Jane Doe and Jane Roe, attempted to sue the Catholic Church and Maskell for alleged abuse, but the case was thrown out because of Marylands statute of limitations. Caine says the church believes Maskell who overlapped with Cesnik while at Keough, where he worked as the school chaplain and counselor from 1967 to 1975. was sexually abusive. In the immediate aftermath, as they made preparations for her funeral, Radakovic was given a piece of advice by the head of Cesniks convent: It is your job, Marilyn, to always keep Cathy alive. He said that when he told his mother of the abuse, she told the Baltimore Archdiocese in 1967 -- two years before Sister Cathy's murder. Stuff being crimes, and they're walking around.. White is unconvinced that the DNA found at the scene on a cigarette butt would match A. Joseph Maskells DNA, but he remains positive that, eventually, someone will catch whoever murdered Sister Cathy and theyll finally figure out why. Her former students believe that Sister Cathy was murdered as part of a cover-up to protect a priest at the school, A. Joseph Maskell, who Cesnik suspected was guilty of sexual abuse of students. "The Christmas after Sister Cesnik disappeared, Ed gave me this necklace as part of a Christmas gift. What do you think happened to Sister Cathy? As I stared at my hands in shock, Father Maskell leaned over and whispered in my ear, you see what happens when you say bad things about people.. Just a few days before she vanished, the priest reportedly called her and, once again expressing his love, had asked her to marry him. However, Spitz, who worked on the case, later confirmed that there had been maggots in both the victim's mouth and trachea when found. 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. Dr. Christian RichterA gynecologist who Maskell would take students to while he was serving at Keough. Another woman, Teresa Lancaster, also came forward. Father Neil MagnusAnother of the administrators at Keough, Magnus was accused of participating in sexually abusing students along with Maskell. On January 3, 1970, the decomposed body of Sister Catherine Ann Cesnik was discovered at a dumping area on Monumental Avenue in Halethorpe, 21227. Were not going to let this go, Hoskins said. RELATED:Everything Available At Launch On HBO Max. Together, she and Hoskins started the Justice for Catherine Cesnik and Joyce Malecki Facebook page in 2013 to try to solve the case, which has become a network of Keough alumni and abuse survivors. RELATED:10 Best True Crime Shows On Netflix. But hes only willing to share a slice of it. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. One of the most famous pieces of evidence from the show is the cigarette butt shown in episode six, found near Sister Cathys body. On January 3, 1970, her body was found by a hunter and his son in an informal landfill located on the 2100 block of Monumental Road, in a remote area of Lansdowne. It started with a freelance journalist, Tom Nugent. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Stirred to action, the Police exhumed the remains of A. Joseph Maskell, the former priest accused of murdering Sister Cathy, and took a DNA sample to test against DNA found at the murder scene. James Maskell, A. Joseph Maskells uncle, is a similarly powerful and threatening figure that deserves to be prodded harder. Director Ryan White tells PEOPLE Radakovic was little more than an urban legend for his team as they worked on the documentary, as no one had been able to confirm Cesnik had any siblings. However, White did still get to talk to them he even got to talk to the anonymous student he mentions in the series. Later in 1994, authorities exhumed boxes Maskell had buried in a Baltimore cemetery and found one to contain child pornography. Charles FranzIn "The Keepers," Charles Franz came forward as one of Maskell's abuse victims in the 1960s. She may have made a purchase at Muhly's Bakery in Edmondson Village, since a box of buns from that bakery was found in the front seat of her car. Nov. 11-13, 1969: Joyce Malecki Is Killed. She joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame when she was 18. The prime suspect in Sister Cathys murder was a priest, the late Father A. Joseph Maskell. We had no idea that people would still be talking about it five years later, and that people would still be watching it five years later.. Many have speculated on the identity of this mysterious Brother Bob, with most pointing to Ed (Edgar Davidson) as being the most obvious answer, but some are now speculating that Father Robert Flaherty is Brother Bob. [5] On November 7, 1969, she left the apartment she shared with Helen Russell Phillips at the Carriage House Apartments, at 131 North Bend Road in Catonsville, en route to the Edmondson Village Shopping Center to purchase a gift for her sister's engagement at Hecht's jewelry store. [4] Cesnik had three siblings. I think that the impact of The Keepers has far exceeded our expectations, Hargrave said. Her mutilated remains were found on January 1970 and her murder is still unsolved. However, this is a small step towards justice. 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. On November 7, 1969, Cathy Cesnik left her apartment in Catonsville to buy an engagement gift for her sister. ", court of Appeals of Maryland, No. 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.". Viewers of The Keepers do not fondly reflect on Sharon May, the prosecutor in charge of the Maryland State Attorneys Office Sex Abuse Unit. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. Obviously, the story grew and grew and one of our first access points was Gemma. There was only the two of us for a long time, so we were really close, Radakovic says. The Keepers centres on the death of 26-year-old nun, Sister Cathy Cesnik, who went missing from Baltimore, Maryland on November 7th, 1969. She believes they might contain the names of people who were complicit in his crimes, or in covering them up. Part 1 - Victim Featured in The Keepers Tells Story of Survival in New Book, Part 2 - Attorney Believes Criminal Charges A Possibility in Sex Abuse Investigation. The series also renewed the investigations into the murders of two women, Sister Cathy Cesnik and Joyce Malecki. Every bit of it, vividly. They encourage everyone reading this to question everything, stay hydrated, and treat others with kindness. Authorities said results will take up to six more weeks. . Oddly, her Ford Maverick, which she had recently purchased, was found just a block from her apartment parked illegally in a no parking area and unlocked. Still wondering what happened to Baltimore's Sister Cathy? It. Frightened and feeling threatened by the strapping, dominating clergyman who was popular with churchgoers for his Sunday masses the girl decided to keep secret her gruesome discovery. [12] After obtaining permission from the state's attorney's office, the BCPD exhumed the body of Maskell, who died of a major stroke in 2001, but did not find a DNA match to evidence from the crime scene. The plaintiffs appealed. She had a very soft spot in her heart for the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Radakovic says, but I think she felt she was called to do something other than live in the convent.. She doesnt recognize that of course she lives small. The Keepers, a 7-part documentary, is currently available to stream on Netflix. 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. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. The documentary investigates whether Maskell had. The idea that he terrorized many, and that the Catholic Church chose not to stop him. Nicole Mello is an author of horrors, romances, and comedies. "Our best hope for solving this case at this point lies with the people who are still alive. She was part of the Keough class of 1972. But now, because of witness testimony, and a multi-part documentary about the Cesnik murder to be aired on Netflix beginning on May 19, there is hope that her killer may be identified and the case finally be put to rest. Our focus was definitely on the survivors of Keough, but many Maskell victims cameafter Keough, and its horrifying. Whats really funny about Gemma, shes taking criminologyclasses right now which I find hilarious. In the nearly two months between that discovery and her disappearance, Radakovic, then 20 years old, remained certain her sister was alive somewhere. She was "Jane Roe" in that ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit. Billy SchmidtSister Cathy's neighbor in the Carriage Hill Apartments building. They have another project scheduled to come out later this year. Joseph Cesnik in 1930 Census; Census Place: Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; 1930 United States Federal Census; National Archives and Records Administration. I would hang on to her, and she was like, Youre gonna get me thrown out! , And shed tell Cesnik, Thats what Im trying to do, Cathy, Im trying to do. Id say to my dad, Get the car, well steal her. . Netflix documentary series explores the 1970 murder of Sister Catherine Cesnik. Though the documentary includes much of the story, director Ryan White doesnt include every piece of evidence, and some of the most crucial information gets left out. They talked about Radakovics impending college graduation and that she might move to Baltimore and stay in Cesniks apartment. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. . We still remain optimistic that its possible for us to clear this case, Armacost says. Before that, Gemma spent 37 years as an elementary school teacher. ', 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. 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. He spearheaded the project because of his personal connection to Sister Catherine Cesnik, a nun who was found murdered in January of 1970 and who serves as the centerpiece of the true crime series. Shes so driven to find out what happened to her teacher. Jean claims that Father Maskell took her to Sister Cathy's body and said to her, "See what happens when you say bad things about people.". A headline in a Baltimore newspaper blared: 'City Police Fail To Find Missing Nun.'. His family believes he may have had something to do with Cathy's death, along with his brother, Ronnie, and an unknown man called "Skippy." According to Hollywoodlife.com, Joseph Maskell's body was exhumed in Feb. 2017 and his DNA was tested by a forensics lab against DNA evidence found near the crime scene of Sister Cathy. White can only say this about it: Her story is chilling.. ", All the people you need to know to follow Netflixs sprawling documentary series The Keepers. He and his friend and fellow priest, Peter McKeon, discovered Sister Cathys car parked at a strange angle across the street from her apartment. Baltimore nun Cathy Cesnik, 26, vanished while out on a shopping trip in November 7, 1969. But in interviews conducted before his death, he found these. For more on Sister Cathys mysterious death and the secrets she may have been killed to keep, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this weeks issue, on newsstands now. And this was how she had explained it to me. Mom Found Next to Her Car with Toddler Son Inside, Wife Wrote 'Letter from the Grave' Before 2008 Death Now Husband Is Guilty of Poisoning Her with Antifreeze, Body of Missing Md. ", Up Next: Netflix Hidden Gems For Sci-Fi And Fantasy Lovers. Amateur sleuths have continued tracking the famous cold case in a new podcast series. Jean is the most incredible survivor that Ive ever witnessed. More than 40 years after her death, the case of Sister Cathy Cesnik's murder is still unsolved. There are a lot of people that are living that should be behind bars, she said. She was just 26 at the time of her death. Wehner alleged that there was frequent sexual abuse at Sister Cathy's school. Father Joseph Maskell, who died in 2001, was widely accused of sexually abusing girls at the school where Sister Cathy worked and is believed to be involved in her murder. Her life had been threatened and she had allegedly been abused by the priest. A Pittsburgh native, Cesnik headed to Baltimore at 18 to join the School Sister of Notre Dame, a religious order whose nuns had taught her in grade school. Catherine Anne Cesnik was born on November 17, 1942, in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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. 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.. Gemma connected us with so many people in The Keepers.. Tom NugentFreelance journalist Tom Nugent covered Sister Cathy's death starting in 1994. Advocates, filmmakers say they have not given up. BALTIMORE "The Keepers" premiered on Netflix, on May 19th, 2017, bringing worldwide attention to the sexual abuse of children by priests in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Sister Catherine Ann Cesnik was last seen alive on November 7, 1969. Father Joseph Maskell's body was exhumed from a Baltimore cemetery earlier this year as part of the investigation into the unsolved slaying. Find out what it is in TheWraps Q&A with White below. Its possible Flaherty and Maskell had some deeper connection at the time that has simply been completely overlooked. But he never found the killer of Sister Catherine Ann Cesnik; he died of complications from diabetes on June 10, at age 79. Eluding police questioning, Maskell eventually ran off to Ireland in 1994 to work as a priest. Sister Catherine CesnikA nun and teacher at Archbishop Keough High School in 1968, Sister Cathy was murdered in Nov. 1969, although her body wasnt discovered until Jan. 3, 1970. Some are calling it The Next Making a Murderer' what is your response to that? Either way, theyre lying and withholding information that would be helpful to the case. He was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and has written investigative reports for Mother Jones, the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post. Marilyn had the blinders ripped off in a very scary way, I think, that what she thought happened to her sister might not be at all what actually happened to her sister, White explains. However, theres even more to the story to be considered: Sharon Mays husband used to be a state cop. She wanted to do more than she was able to do within the confines of the order, Radakovic says. Audiences reacted poorly to how cold, smarmy, and arrogant Sharon May appeared to be, and with good reason: they have every reason to believe she was very much involved in a cover-up for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, evident enough from her complete inaction throughout the case. He was said to have allowed girls at the school to talk about sex and drugs in his office, and even permitted alcohol and cigarettes during gatherings in his rectory living quarters. The tour features the Pic of Day: There was more disruption at Dublin Airport Thursday due to a drone sighting, one of half a dozen such incidents in recent weeks. Something has happened to your sister. . Donna VonDenBoschDonna VonDenBosch also has come forward as one of Maskell's abuse victims as a member of the Keough class of 1974. Detective Gary ChildsBaltimore County Police Detective Childs is assigned to the cold case file for Sister Cathy's murder at the time of "The Keepers. It just means that there's no link between Maskell and the crime scene. On November 7, 1969, Cesnik disappeared. Beginning tonight, Netflix viewers will be able to view all seven episodes of a series entitled, The Keepers., The documentary was produced by Ryan White. I have very little doubt at the finish line. She was found dead two months later. We went through Christmas with Cathy being missing, and that whole time because I had gotten that letter I was sure she was alive, Radakovic says. His remains were exhumed in February of this year and reports in recent days have stated that a DNA sample from Maskell was not a match from a DNA sample retrieved from evidence from the murder scene in 1969. ', He theorized that because there had been no signs of a struggle, 'it looked too clean. accessed ), memorial page for Sr Catherine Anne "Cathy" Cesnik (17 Nov . I wont tell you my theory, but I will say: I believe Jean, and I have corroboratedJean, that this is a woman who was telling the truth from the beginning. [6] At 4:40am the next morning, Russell's friends, Peter McKeon and Gerard J. Koob, both Catholic priests, found Cesnik's car, in muddy condition, and illegally parked across from her apartment complex. It remained shrouded in mystery until those close to Sister Cathy started sharing their experiences and theories last year, They were told to 'stop harassing him,' he said. He claims he interviewed more than 100 girls in the case who knew of or were involved in sexual abuse. The plaintiffs suits are thus barred by the statute of limitation. It is still in the process of dealing with the legal fallout, and atoning for the deeds of those who preyed on the most vulnerable. He first reported on Sister Cathy's story because of Wehner's accusation that Maskell was involved in her murder. Source: Justice for Catherine Cesnik and Joyce Malecki Facebook Group, Mysterious 'Lady in the Fridge' Murder Victim Identified After 27 Years, Woman Adopted as Infant Learns that Biological Mom Was Allegedly Murdered by Serial Killers, Ohio Mom Facing Eviction Kills Husband, Son, and Her Father Before Turning Gun on Herself, MMA Fighter Allegedly Stabbed Ex-Girlfriend 17 Times, Stuffed Body in Storage Bin, Hid Her in Closet, Inside the Mysterious Death of a Pregnant Fla. Detectives revealed on Wednesday that after weeks of testing, Maskell's DNA did not match evidence found from the murder scene nearly 50 years ago. Making a Murderer was sucha phenomenon and if we have a fraction the popularity of Making a Murderer, I will be a happy filmmaker. Sharon A.H. MayThe Baltimore State's attorney working on the Maskell case in 1994. Mine isdifferent than Gemmas theory, but we were all looking at the various versions of the truth and deciding what we believed was true. For us, our bar was more about bringing these womens experiences to light and starting this conversation.. She said Maskell knew people in high places and would allegedly 'allow girls at the school to talk about sex and drugs in his office'.