Lodi police close case against late Lodi priest

The Lodi Police Department has closed its case on an allegation that late Lodi priest Murty Fahy had sexually abused a child in the mid-1990s.

Murty Fahy

Police detectives talked to several people about Fahy, but a crime had never been substantiated, according to Lodi Police Lt. Bill Barry.

Fahy, who died in 2001, was accused of sexually abusing a student at St. Anne's School in Lodi during the mid-'90s. The Stockton Diocese reported the allegation to police on March 10, and Bishop Stephen Blaire disclosed it through an e-mail to several news organizations in April. The allegation was announced at Masses throughout the diocese, and a letter was mailed to St. Anne's School parents.

"A crime has not been substantiated," Barry said.

The person who reported being sexually abused as a child was referred to San Joaquin County's victim services unit for help.

Diocese officials are still investigating the allegations.

"It's obviously not a closed thing here," Sister Terry Davis said.

St. Anne's Deacon Karl Welsbacher said he asked Lodi police about the Fahy case because Fahy was a good friend.

After the allegations against Fahy were made public last year, Welsbacher asked his daughter, who was once a student at St. Anne's School, if Fahy had abused her or if she knew of him abusing anyone.

His daughter said, "Absolutely not," Welsbacher said.

"I know they take allegations very seriously," Welsbacher said of the diocese.

Fahy was a priest at St. Anne's from 1985 until his death and taught at St. Mary's High School in Stockton from 1970 until he became an associate pastor at St. Anne's.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

First published: Wednesday, January 3, 2007