The John Geoghan Saga: Abuse, Cover-ups, and a Deadly Encounter

John Geoghan was born on June 4, 1935. He served as a priest in Boston for three decades, covering various locations in Massachusetts. Regrettably, he was a repetitive offender, engaging in the heinous act of sexually assaulting children.

In 1986, additional accusations of sexual abuse were levied against Geoghan. Subsequently, from April 3 to April 12, 1989, he underwent treatment at the Saint Luke Institute located in Silver Spring, Maryland. During this time, Geoghan received a diagnosis of homosexual pedophilia.

During his tenure in the Catholic Church, John Geoghan was identified as a serial child rapist, with approximately 150 boys stepping forward to accuse him of sexual abuse.

Throughout his priestly career, the authorities within the church deliberately ignored the ongoing pattern of sexual abuse perpetrated by Geoghan, as he was transferred from one parish to another instead of being removed from his position.

In 1991, Geoghan faced prosecution for charges related to his sexual misconduct. However, it wasn't until 1998 that he was officially removed from the clergy.

In February 2002, the Boston Globe's Spotlight Team released a report on Geoghan, which served as a pivotal moment, triggering a series of cases exposing sexual abuse within the archdiocese. Geoghan was subsequently sentenced to prison in 2002 for an incident in which he se-xually assaulted a 10-year-old boy in a swimming pool.

Execution in Prison

Following his encounter while hitchhiking, Joseph Druce found himself entangled in a sorrowful event wherein he took the life of a man who purportedly made unwanted sexual advances towards him.

Consequently, Druce was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1988 and incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center located in Shirley, Massachusetts. Notably, reports suggest that Joseph Druce himself endured childhood molestation.

Upon Geoghan's conviction, he was placed in a protective custody unit alongside 23 fellow inmates, but fate had it that he would be assigned to the same Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center as Joseph Druce.

In August 2003, following lunch, Druce entered Geoghan's cell and cunningly wedged the door shut, effectively trapping him inside. Druce then proceeded to restrain Geoghan, securing him with bindings and a gag, ultimately proceeding to strangle him with a bed sheet.

During that particular moment, only a single officer was on duty, and upon hearing sounds emanating from Geoghan's cell, the officer had to utilize a walkie-talkie to summon additional officers for assistance. It required the collective efforts of multiple officers to eventually pry open the door.

According to Robert Brouillette, an executive of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union who was present during the incident, it became evident upon entering the cell that Geoghan was unresponsive and beyond revival. Geoghan's cause of death was officially determined to be ligature strangulation and blunt chest trauma. At the time of his death, Geoghan was 68 years old.

During the court proceedings on January 23, 2006, Joseph Druce provided testimony regarding the murder of John Geoghan. Druce stated that he had confronted Geoghan on two previous occasions regarding the molestation charges against him, describing Geoghan's responses as "arrogant."

“I was just, like, ‘That’s it, that’s it, I’ve got to stop this,'” said Druce. “I couldn’t get it out of my head.”

When questioned about his motives for committing the murder, Druce explained that he carried out the act to alleviate the haunting memories of his own molestation experiences and the disdainful manner in which Geoghan responded to his inquiries. Druce expressed a desire to free himself from these distressing thoughts.

He also said, “I had seen myself as the designated individual who had to put a stop to the pedophilia in the church.”

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References:

• Joseph Druce- Wikipedia
• John Geoghan- Wikipedia
• John Geoghan — The Pedophile Priest Killed By A Molestation Victim In Jail