22-year-old Mykhaylo Kofel, a Byzantine Catholic Church monk-in-training, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on February 10, 2005 for stabbing a 39-year-old nun, Sister Michelle Lewis, in Miami, Florida, in 2001.
The case remains complicated to this day and some are still unsure of what they really believe. iHeartRadio podcast Sacred Scandal, led by hosts Jasmine Romero and Roberta Garza, dives into all of the clues surrounding that tragic day 23 years ago, and investigates other religious scandals. Per the podcast's bio:
"Sacred Scandal unravels the fuller picture that came to light in the wake of this crime. Led by a former student, told by those who lived through the aftermath, and Kofel himself, the show pieces together a complicated narrative that, twenty years later, still has those closest to it questioning what they truly believe… including a man who’s spent half his life in prison for the crime."
The first season of the podcast attempts to uncover "secret letters" sent to the Vatican, "allegations of sexual abuse," and what was found along with Kofel at the site of the murder. In season two, the listener is invited into "Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World)" where "apostle" Naasón Joaquín García pleaded guilty just two years ago for "sexually abusing girls from his congregation." This season features real life accounts from affected individuals. The third and most recent season follows the brutal slaying of Archbishop Oscar Romero, and the "holy war" that proceeded his murder.
In the latest episode titled "The Funeral", released on Thursday (May 20), host Jasmine Romero describes the funeral of Archbishop Oscar Romero, and uncovers two sides to the war that unfolded after his passing.
Check out Sacred Scandal, on iHeartRadio now for the full story.