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Sin, Shame, and Secrets: The Murder of a Nun, the Conviction of a Priest, and Cover-up in the Catholic Church
In 1980, on Holy Saturday - the day before Easter - Sister Margart Ann Pahl, an elderly nun, was strangled nearly to death in the sacristy of a chapel in a Catholic hospital in Toledo, Ohio.
The killer then covered the nun's body with an altar cloth and stabbed her nine times over the heart, in the form of a perfectly shaped upside-down cross. He then removed the altar cloth and stabbed the nun 22 more times on the face, neck, and torso.
The intense, high-profile police investigation in the months that followed included interviews with more than 600 people, ranging from the slain nun's colleagues in the Sisters of Mercy convent to hospital staff, convicted criminals, and Satan worshippers.
No arrests were made until April 23, 2004, when Toledo's cold-case squad went to Father Gerald Robinson's home next door to the police station and charged the 66-year-old, mild-mannered Catholic priest in the 24-year-old murder.
Father Robinson's dramatic trial in April and May 2006, believed to be the first in which a U.S. Catholic priest was charged in the murder of a nun, was covered gavel to gavel by Court TV and internationally by CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and the BBC. Father Robinson was convicted May 11 and is now serving a 15-years-to-life sentence in an Ohio penitentiary.
Sin, Shame, and Secrets details not only the unique and bizarre circumstances of Sister Margaret Ann's death and the arrest and conviction of a Catholic priest decades later, but also the myriad factors that caused local law enforcement and criminal justice officials to come up empty handed in the original 1980 investigation, as well as the cold-case squad's investigation, the findings of leading forensic experts, and courtroom testimony that led to Father Robinson's arrest and conviction.
David Yonke, Religion Editor for the Toledo Blade, takes an examined look into instances of violent and sexual crime and cover-up in the Catholic Church that ranges from the Father Robinson case to questions about church hierarchy and canon law.
The killer then covered the nun's body with an altar cloth and stabbed her nine times over the heart, in the form of a perfectly shaped upside-down cross. He then removed the altar cloth and stabbed the nun 22 more times on the face, neck, and torso.
The intense, high-profile police investigation in the months that followed included interviews with more than 600 people, ranging from the slain nun's colleagues in the Sisters of Mercy convent to hospital staff, convicted criminals, and Satan worshippers.
No arrests were made until April 23, 2004, when Toledo's cold-case squad went to Father Gerald Robinson's home next door to the police station and charged the 66-year-old, mild-mannered Catholic priest in the 24-year-old murder.
Father Robinson's dramatic trial in April and May 2006, believed to be the first in which a U.S. Catholic priest was charged in the murder of a nun, was covered gavel to gavel by Court TV and internationally by CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and the BBC. Father Robinson was convicted May 11 and is now serving a 15-years-to-life sentence in an Ohio penitentiary.
Sin, Shame, and Secrets details not only the unique and bizarre circumstances of Sister Margaret Ann's death and the arrest and conviction of a Catholic priest decades later, but also the myriad factors that caused local law enforcement and criminal justice officials to come up empty handed in the original 1980 investigation, as well as the cold-case squad's investigation, the findings of leading forensic experts, and courtroom testimony that led to Father Robinson's arrest and conviction.
David Yonke, Religion Editor for the Toledo Blade, takes an examined look into instances of violent and sexual crime and cover-up in the Catholic Church that ranges from the Father Robinson case to questions about church hierarchy and canon law.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
56 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 25, 2009
In 1980 a 72 year old nun was murdered in a hospital chapel where she worked. Over 20 years later, a priest who served as chaplain there was arrested, tried, and convicted of her murder. Living near Toledo, Ohio where the crime took place, I had heard of this case and from local media reports, I still had my doubts that the jury was correct in finding the priest guilty of the murder. This author takes a strong stand to squash those concerns.
Reading this book was a fascinating look inside the case and the investigation that led police to charge Fr. Robinson 20+ years later. There are two side-stories to the crime: the cover-up attempts by Toledo's Catholic diocese that perpetuated crimes of sexual abuse against children for decades and a second one I won't discuss here lest I spoil the book. These two, coupled with the nun's murder, made for some disturbing yet unforgettable reading. Though the topic was disturbing, there are no heavily gory details. But the subject alone caused me to have a nightmare the first day of reading!
Being a practicing Catholic, I found the book very fair in its depiction of the clergy, however disturbing the facts are. I encourage those who appreciate true crime and those who are outraged by the attempts of some in the Catholic church to cover-up the child abuse to read this book. It is worth your time!
Reading this book was a fascinating look inside the case and the investigation that led police to charge Fr. Robinson 20+ years later. There are two side-stories to the crime: the cover-up attempts by Toledo's Catholic diocese that perpetuated crimes of sexual abuse against children for decades and a second one I won't discuss here lest I spoil the book. These two, coupled with the nun's murder, made for some disturbing yet unforgettable reading. Though the topic was disturbing, there are no heavily gory details. But the subject alone caused me to have a nightmare the first day of reading!
Being a practicing Catholic, I found the book very fair in its depiction of the clergy, however disturbing the facts are. I encourage those who appreciate true crime and those who are outraged by the attempts of some in the Catholic church to cover-up the child abuse to read this book. It is worth your time!
March 22, 2020
I have lived in Toledo my whole life and interned and worked at this hospital, although I was not working there at the time of the murder. The chapel was not located near the lab where I worked so I was not familiar with it at all, having only been near there a couple of times. Grace Jones and her sister Bessie worked in the lab cleaning glassware and did a lot of cleaning for the microbiology department where I had worked and trained for the lab. She was very friendly but it was very difficult to understand her as she had a severe speech impediment and was black, which is why, I believe, that the detectives initially ignored her in their investigation in 1980. Not being Catholic myself, I was amazed to learn of the strong grip the Church had on the police department at the time. I could not put the book down as I was incredulous to learn about both the history of Toledo and my previous employer’s history. I recommend this to my former coworkers and friends who want to know what truly happened in our city back in that era. I hold the Diocese and the police department responsible for the lack of justice that occurred in 1980, and I am glad that the cold case unit was finally able to persevere long afterwards. Larry Kiroff, one of the prosecutors, was a neighbor. His father was a well respected judge in Toledo for many years. I am glad that, with his help, the prosecutor’s office was able to bring charges and convict.
March 10, 2011
It was a must-read for me. David Yonke is a journalist and so the book is written in that style. Saddened me and surprised me both about sexual abuses in the Catholic Church and the coverup by the dicese.
June 8, 2019
I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this quite as much if this wasn't in my backyard. Knowing some of the players in the book in person as well as having interned at the Diocese in 2005 made this so fascinating to me. Great read!
January 11, 2020
This was a hard book to read when realizing that there was so much collusion between the diocese and the police force to protect the image of the Church rather than to find and prosecute the murderer. There were plenty of side stories about how satanic rites happened and child abuse as well. I thought the coverage was fair and handled with just the appropriate amount of detail. It makes it easier for me to understand how victims feel so violated by the Church.
June 24, 2022
This book was a good documentary about the murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl. Being a Toledo resident, I’ve always heard the horror stories of Father Robinson’s santanic killing so reading the story of what had happened and getting a better understanding of the details in between the crime was captivating.
November 30, 2022
It is a shame when you cannot trust your clergy. It is even scarier yet to know you can’t trust your church! I have not heard anything since 2006 that indicates they have made any effort to change the canon. And that is a sin that they do not protect their parishioners any better than that. I never realized that they condoned lying to law-enforcement and keeping secrets.
March 11, 2025
Loved this book being that it was a nearby crime. I actually am related to the nun that was unfortunately murdered. It was interesting to hear about the ties of the Catholic church and Toledo Police back in the day. It motivates me to look more into the Catholic church, especially the Toledo Diocese!
August 29, 2013
I found this book while searching for something else and most of my coworkers remember this case, which I do not remember hearing about at all up in Michigan. A bizarre and thrilling read if you're a fan of true crime though it does read like a compilation of news articles and could've benefited from some editing. (The author writes for the Blade, however, so the style isn't a surprise.) Overall, an INSANE true story that'll give you a shiver about living in the Midwest.
January 23, 2016
This is an excellent true crime audiobook. It thoroughly covers the case. My only complaint is that it jumps around in time a little, but dates are always
given and major points are repeated where necessary. Dave Clark's narration is perfect for this type of audiobook. It's a disturbingly fascinating case.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
given and major points are repeated where necessary. Dave Clark's narration is perfect for this type of audiobook. It's a disturbingly fascinating case.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
January 16, 2015
Well, I really wanted to read this book. It seems too incredible to be true. But the one thing this book does is strip away any illusions a person may have about the church. (I was a member of the "faithful") for a long, long time. I don't think the character of Father Robinson was well developed. It would have been nice to hear what his brother and sister-in-law believed.
May 16, 2015
Hard to read
Being a Catholic myself it was a difficult book to read because you hate to think that after years of holding the church and the clergy up on a pedestal that it all can down to the almighty money and deception. As a stated in the book they are human just like you and I. Well written and hard to put down.
Being a Catholic myself it was a difficult book to read because you hate to think that after years of holding the church and the clergy up on a pedestal that it all can down to the almighty money and deception. As a stated in the book they are human just like you and I. Well written and hard to put down.
October 13, 2008
Written like a cheap tabloid, the book covers the story the way everyone remembers it. In black and white. I won't spoil the outcome, so you can decide. But I could have done without the opinions on Yonke's part.
September 22, 2012
Incredible, deep insight to a cold case that hit home to many. A must read especially for those interested in real cold cases, and for those who live in and around Toledo.
June 9, 2015
Sad story of cover-up .
It shocks me the extent of abuse and cover-up by my Church. This is a real eye opener. A good read.
It shocks me the extent of abuse and cover-up by my Church. This is a real eye opener. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews