Catholic priest found slain in California church rectory

Eureka, California, Police Chief Andy Mills said officers -- responding to a call from staff at St. Bernard Church -- first came across the victim around 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Mayor Frank Jager identified the victim as the Rev. Eric Freed, whom he called a personal friend and a "tremendous person in this community" since his arrival three years ago. The St. Bernard Parish website featured a cross and the words, "Rest in Peace," above Freed's name.

Local and state authorities remained at St. Bernard Church -- one of two in the coastal Northern California city situated 275 miles north of San Francisco where he was the sole pastor -- late Wednesday processing the crime scene and following up on tips, Mills said.

While he was relatively new to St. Bernard, Freed had already made an impact there and elsewhere around Eureka -- including with the city's Japanese-American community, as Freed lived in Japan for many years -- Jager told reporters.

A guest lecturer, Freed wrote a book about the first atomic bomb and also taught about the New Testament, connecting with Christians and non-Christians alike.

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Picture: Father Freed during his installation, August 21, 2011.