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THE
LAST CONFESSION
Murder, Family, Ethnicity, and Justice in a Texas Border Town
Written by:
LYNDA DE LA VIÑA, PHD.
The 60-year cold case the Church couldn’t bury.
Or find it at your local bookstore on Indie Bound.
“More than just a true crime book – a record of perseverance, faith tested by power, and justice finally restored.”
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ABOUT THE BOOK
A Story That Demanded To Be Told
In 1960, Irene Garza was murdered in McAllen, Texas. The prime suspect was a Catholic priest. What followed was not only a brutal crime, but a 60-year investigation marked by silence, institutional power, and a conviction that would become the oldest on record.
The unthinkable crime and the story of justice served was covered extensively in the U.S. and worldwide. Coverage was carried in Texas Monthly, the New York Times and as far away as Australia’s the Sydney Morning Herald. It was also featured widely on TV throughout the country and on national news specials from CNN and CBS 48 Hours.
Lynda De La Viña—cousin to Irene Garza—reveals the inside story of a Texas murder the Catholic Church helped conceal. Blending true crime, memoir, and investigative reporting, she traces the decades-long fight for accountability in the Rio Grande Valley.
Inside, you’ll discover:
How a 1960 Texas murder became one of the longest-running cold cases in American criminal history—and why it took 60 years to convict.
The documented inner workings of Catholic Church governance and how institutional silence protected a priest.
The role of grand juries, district attorneys, and investigative process failures that delayed justice.
The psychological manipulation and shifting confessions of Father John Feit.
How one South Texas family refused to let corruption erase their cousin’s memory.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynda De La Viña, PhD.
Dr. Lynda de la Viña is dean emerita of both the University of Texas at San Antonio and Johns Hopkins University. She is also the first Mexican American woman to earn a PhD in economics in the United States. A former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Treasury, she writes with both scholarly rigor and personal conviction. In The Last Confession, she chronicles the 60-year fight for justice in the murder of her cousin, Irene Garza.
Help Honor Irene Garza’s Legacy
All net income from this book will be donated to the Irene Garza Scholarship Fund.
The fund supports current and future elementary school teachers in Hidalgo County through scholarships.
Contact
Please fill out the contact form with any inquiries.