PA PA - Carol Dougherty, 9, Bristol, 22 Oct 1962

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She was Mary because the two sisters were known as "Pegnella". I didn't know Annie.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/schuylkill/obituary.aspx?n=mary-t-sabadish-peggy&pid=108199496

They changed the spelling of their name, which is quite prevalent in the area we're talking about.

As for his mom being in the area, that confuses me. I don't know why she would follow her priest son, who could be reassigned, when the rest of the fam stayed in Reilly. The town is about 2 hours from Philly so... not impossible that he brought kids up there.
 
Dunno, Scorp - just going on what was in the abuse report, kids said he took them to his mother's house. Might be worth looking into..
 
I'll see what I can find out this weekend. My weekend is kinda packed but I'm sure I can find some time for a phone call.

I never even thought to look for a thread for Carol Ann. After I found out, about a year ago, I did some research but never thought to look for a thread here.

ETA: I found it odd the sisters lived together and never married. Maybe there's something to it...
 
Ausgirl said:
Well, here's a start:

<modsnip>

^ Rev. Joseph F. Sabadish, DOB: 10/17/1918; DoD: 2/5/1999
Ordained in 1945.

Two of his victims place him for sure in Bristol, PA on a regular basis from 1960-64 and from '64-'68. This was his home ground - his mother lived in the area (he took the kids to her house.. ugh).

He served in St Michael's from May 1957 to June 1962.

We know he was in Hazelton on the day Marise Chiverella went missing in 1962. (2 hrs from Tullytown/Bristol/Levittown)

St. William Church, Philadelphia, PA (Parish school)
Rev. Joseph F. Sabadish (Assistant Pastor) 12/67-6/73 (about 40 mins from Tullytown/Bristol/Levittown)


We know he was sexually interested in both women, and children of both sexes.

We know he was sexually aggressive and claimed to be "sterile".
Click to expand...

St Michaels and St Marks are really close. I have a neighbor who is a member of st michaels and I am going to ask if he has ever heard of him because his family has been here for a long time.

This week was just nuts for me but this coming week should be better. I have a birthday party and super bowl prep too.

I have been driving around trying to get the lay of the land.


You guys are awesome. Thanks for looking into this with me.
 
Pirplegrl, you're right - they've got the pictures incorrect on the other source page. Wrong pedo! Here's Sabadish (looks like a mean old so and so):

Sabadish_Joseph_F_PH.JPG


(enjoy your weekend! hope you get to relax a bit)
 
Here's what I got... The mother lived here with the sisters. My relative says they never saw him have kids with him but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Also, my relative never heard of him connected to any other murders.

I'm sorry I'm not being very helpful.
 
No, you are being very helpful, Scorp! Sabadish is not the only suspect... and while he was certainly a serial pedo, but he may not be a serial killer.

I get the feeling, though, from his evasive actions/lies and that of the church that he really did have a hand in Carol Ann's murder, to some degree or other. Right now, I think either he did it, or one of the boys he was molesting or had molested in the past did and Sabadish was party to it.

It's hard too not to think that someone capable of killing a child like that wouldn't do it again. It seems, if the communications that came after really are from the killer, that they felt remorse. Another reason to doubt it was Sabadish alone, or at all. Serial pedos don't express remorse, until it matters to a jury..

And yeah, kind of odd the sisters never married, and lived together all those years.. and the son is a paedophile priest. Gotta wonder what the role model was, in that house.
 
The house keeper of the church told LE that somebody was at the back of the church sitting on a pew just before Carol Ann would have come in. I wasn't sure if this was to throw the investigation away from the Priests/staff or if it were a genuine sighting. This person didn't seem to come forward, not to my knowledge, make of it what you will.

I don't think that the cryptic notes were from the perp, I had the gut feeling somebody was told either in confession or knew by other means. Remember the housewife that Sabadish threatened to rape ? Maybe he lost his temper with another person and hinted he was to blame for Carol Ann's death.
 
Cheers, necco!

And yup, very plausible, Robin.. knowledge of a crime can carry a heavy burden of guilt.
 
Robin Hood said:
The house keeper of the church told LE that somebody was at the back of the church sitting on a pew just before Carol Ann would have come in. I wasn't sure if this was to throw the investigation away from the Priests/staff or if it were a genuine sighting. This person didn't seem to come forward, not to my knowledge, make of it what you will.

I don't think that the cryptic notes were from the perp, I had the gut feeling somebody was told either in confession or knew by other means. Remember the housewife that Sabadish threatened to rape ? Maybe he lost his temper with another person and hinted he was to blame for Carol Ann's death.
Click to expand...

I have been thinking along this line as the House keeper. And after she entered they locked the door behind her. Don't believe a key was necessary, just a sliding bolt.........If you come across a link discussing the house keepers statement, please post. And thank you for posting this information. All of this occurred in about a 20 to 25 minute time line. From the time she left home and until the father found her. This is why her friends could not enter the church.
 
Pirplegrl said:
View attachment 29540This is the st mark the other day. Just to give you updated pic
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Is that the front of the church that she would have entered?
The three doors look new, which I assume stands for the trinity?
On the day of the murder, would there had been only one door in front to where she would have entered. I believe there was only one door and it was locked for a period of time, before being unlocked by someone in side.

a lot of threes on the front.
 
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1359851159.548736.jpgthis is the side if the church on the street. It's on a corner. There are no doors to the church on this side. As far as I can tell the doors are original. My nephew attended this church and the doors were the same in early 90's.

ETA: When I go back I will get better pictures of the church on all 4 sides. I will ask my gmom if they used any other doors at that time. But those doors are on the main street where people said they saw her go in from.

I can check when I go in if all the doors are unlocked or only one as habit.


I had some thoughts. I'm not catholic so I need help.

Do priests confess to other priests?
Back then if someone confessed to murder would a priest have to tell police or was that not done?
 
I have searched ever Pa cemetery I can think of that is catholic and can not find a grave for this little one. Still searching. I just can not imagine they would have wanted her buried at that church. I looked on foot and found no such grave there.
 
Pirplegrl said:
I had some thoughts. I'm not catholic so I need help.

Do priests confess to other priests?
Back then if someone confessed to murder would a priest have to tell police or was that not done?
Click to expand...

Yes, priests confess to other priests. The seal of the confessional is sacrosanct. The best the priest hearing the confession can do is encourage the penitent to turn his or herself in.
 
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