A 52-year-old minister who believed he was chatting with a 14-year-old girl over the Internet shot and killed himself on Thursday after Chandler police arrived at his south Phoenix church to execute a search warrant in connection with a months-long investigation.
The Rev. Nicholas William Minerva of Tempe shot himself inside the Trinity Baptist Fellowship Church building at 3213 E. Southern Ave. moments after officers arrived at the church to execute a search warrant, according to Chandler police, the lead agency investigating Minerva.
Police say when they arrived at the church on Thursday afternoon, they initially made contact with Minerva who went back inside the church and would not come back out, according to Detective Frank Mendoza, a Chandler police spokesman.
Police said they began investigating Minerva’s communication for attempting to lure a minor over the Internet in July of last year and it lasted until Thursday.
During the course of the chats, police say Minerva had inappropriate conversations and in one instance exposed himself in front of a webcam over the Internet.
It wasn’t immediately known whether Chandler police were alerted to Minerva’s communication through a Chandler resident. Chandler police are continuing to investigate Minerva’s communication to see whether there could be any victims and are asking anyone with information to call police at (480) 782-4130.
According to the church’s website, Minerva and his family came to south Phoenix in 2004 to start the church. He is married and has four grown children.
Attempts to reach the church for comment on Friday were unsuccessful.
Police warn parents with children to be aware of the dangers of chatting with someone they don’t know over the Internet who could be impersonating a child and trying to lure children. To learn more about preventing Internet chatroom danger, visit: www.azicac.net or www.netsmartz.org/Parents.
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6533 or msakal@evtrib.com
Gill Bates posted at 2:42 pm on Fri, Apr 22, 2011.
I guess he was anxious to go get his 72 Virgins.
Oh, wait .. wrong religion.
cactusjumper posted at 11:26 pm on Fri, Apr 22, 2011.
If it isn't the coaches, the teachers, the counselors, it the REVERENDS. wHAT KIND OF A HOLY mentor WAS THIS #^&*%$ ANYWAY?
AZMomma posted at 5:39 am on Sat, Apr 23, 2011.
One less pervert on the streets, pulpits, taking up a jail cot. Too bad ! Hope he has a good story when he stands at the Pearly Gates. [beam][wink]
ed-words posted at 7:09 am on Sat, Apr 23, 2011.
It's no laughing matter when someone takes his own life.
That's all we get.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:41 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
WELL AT LEAST AT THE END HE DID THE RIGHT THING.
HOW MANY CARDINALS, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, MONSIGNORS AND PRIESTS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVE THE GUTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE END.
READ ABOUT THE DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL IN ITALY WHERE THESE BOYS AS YOUNG AS 8 AND 9 YEARS OLD WERE GANG-BANGED BY THE PRIESTS IN WHO'S CARE THEY WERE GIVEN .......DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR 5-10 YEARS......EVEN VISITING PRIESTS HAD A GO AT RAPING THESE YOUNG BOYS WHO COULDN'T EVEN SCREAM. JUST A FEW OF THE PRIESTS AND NONE OF THE .....BISHOPS AND MONSIGNORS............EVER WENT TO JAIL.....AND NONE HAD THE GUTS TO KILL THEMSELVES FOR THEIR SINS.
AZ Native posted at 8:24 am on Thu, Apr 28, 2011.
Quite possibly the only honorable thing this pervert did was to take his own life and relieve the tax payers of trying him. What a fake and a phony.