Accused Sexual Offender Found Dead Was Church Youth Group Volunteer
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Accused Sexual Offender Found Dead Was Church Youth Group Volunteer
Church records show John Anthony Okonski, who was arrested in connection with a sexual assault at a local movie theater and later found dead after he was released from jail, was an active member of St Mary’s Catholic Church and volunteered with the youth group.
Reporter: Micah T. Williams, KWTX Staff Writer
Email Address: news@kwtx.com
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(Waco Police Photo) John Anthony Okonski, 45, of Bremond, was found dead after he was released from jail on sexual misconduct charges on Sunday, August 9, 2009.
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WACO (August 10, 2009)-A Bremond man who was found dead near Kosse the day after he was released from jail on sexual misconduct charges had been an active youth worker at his church.

The membership roll for Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Bremond shows John Anthony Okonski was a lifetime member of the church where he served communion and read Scripture aloud.

The church records also show Okonski, actively volunteered with the church youth group.

Okonski, 45, was arrested and charged early Saturday morning after a teenager claimed he was assaulted at a movie complex.

Police say Okonski was found dead by a family member in a pasture outside of Kosse on Sunday; the land belonged to his family.

Kosse Volunteer Firefighters were called to the scene but could not access the site because of extremely rough terrain.

Limestone County Justice of the Peace Marcus Ray Hanna ordered the body sent to Southwest Institute of Forensic Science, at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, for autopsy.

While the official cause of death has not yet been determined, Limestone County Sheriff Dennis Wilson says gunshot wounds on the body appeared to be self-inflicted.

The alleged incident happened at the Starplex Galaxy 16 Theater in Waco at about midnight.

A 15-year-old male told police he was in a bathroom stall when a man came in and molested him.

The teenager escaped and ran to an officer stationed at the theater.

The theater manager declined to comment on the case and instead referred News 10 to the cinema’s corporate public relations office.

Okonski was booked in the McLennan County Jail at 5:41 a.m. Sunday but was later released on a $30,000 bond.

Okonski, who was not married, worked at a power plant outside of Bremond and was related to a councilman in that city.

An employee at the Kosse Café said Okonski was a regular customer and described him as a “very nice man.”

News 10 contacted the phone number listed for Marion Okonski in Bremond.

The woman who answered the phone and identified herself as Okonski’s aunt said the death has been hard for the family.

The woman said funeral arrangements were still pending but declined to comment on the details surrounding Okonski’s death.

Another woman outside of Saint Mary’s in Bremond, who described herself Monday afternoon as a close family relative, told News 10 that while the family officially had no comment she, personally, was upset by negative comments generated by the news Okonski’s arrest and subsequent death.

The woman who refused to identify herself any further said Okonski never had a history of sexual misconduct.

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Megan Fleetwood and Paul Gately contributed to this story.




Latest Comments

Posted by: JT Location: Bryan on Nov 11, 2009 at 05:03 PM

Such a sad story. Johnny was a kind and descent man who would never hurt a fly. I will cherish all of the time I was able to spend with him and he will be sorely missed. May God bless Johnny's family. He and his family will be in my prayers always. This boy must live now with his own conscience.
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Posted by: DADTOO Location: Here on Aug 20, 2009 at 09:00 AM

This young man should be forced to take a lie detector test. Nothing is said of any witnesses and/or evidence collected. Come on in a crowded movie theater no one??? walked in?? If this kid is looking for attention well he sure generated it. Being wrongfully accused could trigger enough stress to cause some one to go over the edge and harm themselves. If this kid is lying he will forever have to live with killing some one else. To all those idiots that are judging Johnny, only the Lord can pass judgment and he will pass some onto you also when the time comes.
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Posted by: Mom Location: Area on Aug 19, 2009 at 09:26 AM

To Dad - You said that Johnny's secret was out. The secret that was out is not that he was a preditor. His secret was that he was gay and had decided to hide that from the world so that the judgemental, hypocritical small town bigits would spare his family from being looked at and judged by all because of what Johnny decided to be a private matter. He and his family have been bathed in prayer and Johnny did receive his rosary and funeral mass as he well deserved. The only Hell that Johnny ever experienced was dealing with closed minded idiots like you.
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