Dallas Priest Found Beaten To Death in Rectory

DALLAS (AP) _ A priest was found beaten to death Saturday in the church rectory in what police said was an apparent robbery.

The body of the Rev. Anthony Boake, 50, was discovered by his roommate at 1:30 a.m., police said.

Boake, the only priest at Saints Constantine and Helen Antiochian Orthodox Church, was apparently killed by blows to the head after a fierce struggle, Lt. Ron Waldrop said.

The rectory was in a shambles and Boake’s car was stolen, Waldrop said.

He said robbery was probably the motive. ”It doesn’t appear it’s involved with church business or in any way with the church,” Waldrop said.

Boake, who spent seven years as a monk in Finland, had been at the Dallas church since 1986.