The Keepers: 5 chilling facts about Sister’s Cathy murder

Released in 2017, The Keepers is a documentary series, currently available on Netflix, directed by Ryan White. It looks into the murder of Sister Cathy which hasn't been solved and the abuse that happens in the Catholic Church. The show is based on real events and shows the bravery of the former students as they fought for justice.

The Keepers follows the sudden disappearance of Sister Cathy Cesnik in November 1969 and the subsequent discovery of her body months later. She was a well-liked teacher and nun at Baltimore's Archbishop Keough High School. The community was shocked by her mysterious death. After the release of the miniseries in 2017, Cathy Cesnik's death in The Keepers is back in the news due to the legal development that has been found by the Baltimore Banner.

The series follows how her death had a lot to do with the dark secrets she revealed about how the school's clergy, especially Father Joseph Maskell, s*xually abused girls. As per the report made by Baltimore Banner, Gerry Koob, Sister Cathy Cesnik’s former boyfriend and a fellow priest and educator at Keough High School, had r*ped and s*xually assaulted more than 150 students 50 years ago. It also mentions,

"The report names more than 150 clergy and archdiocesan personnel accused of perpetrating or covering up abuse, with 15 names redacted."

The Keepers relies on extensive research and interviews with case participants. The Baltimore Banner and other reliable sources detail Sister Cathy's murder. New investigations and legal actions have followed the documentary, giving abuse victims hope for justice and revealing the past's dark truths.

Disclaimer: This listicle contains the mention of horrifying incidents like r*ape and s*xual assault. The information here is based on an official report.

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Chilling facts about Sister Cathy’s murder in The Keepers

The Keepers revealed Sister Cathy's murder and Catholic Church abuse. The series' chilling revelations depict the survivors' bravery and the immense obstacles they faced in seeking justice.

• The Discovery of the body and the autopsy report
• Gerry Koob could be the killer
• Jean Wehner’s Testimony
• Allegations against Father Joseph Maskell
• The Role of the Church and Police

1) The discovery of the body and the autopsy report

The Keepers opens with Cesnik's dead body being discovered. Sister Cathy drove from her Baltimore apartment to a local shopping center to buy a gift on November 7, 1969, with Sister Russell Phillips, her friend and fellow nun. After Cesnik didn't return that night, Sister Russell turned to Pete McKeon and Gerry Koob (who was dating Cesnik), two priest friends who lived nearby.

The group called the police early in the morning after Cesnik's empty car was found near her apartment complex. Cesnik was found dead at a suburban Baltimore garbage dump two months later, on January 3, 1970. She died from blunt force trauma, according to medical tests. She was 26 at the time.

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2) Gerry Koob could be the killer

Gerry Koob, a Jesuit intern, was romantically involved with Sister Cathy Cesnik at the time of her disappearance. Koob, who began teaching religion at Archbishop Keough High School in 1966, met and fell in love with Cesnik, a well-liked English teacher. Despite proposing to her in 1967, Cesnik chose to remain committed to her religious vows, although they continued to share a close and romantic relationship.

Koob's involvement with Cesnik extended beyond their personal relationship. He was present the night she disappeared, receiving a call from Cesnik’s roommate about her absence and discovering her car near their apartment.

Despite this, Koob was also linked to allegations of s*xual misconduct at the school. Two women accused Koob of r*ping and s*xually assaulting them after The Keepers' release. These revelations suggest Koob may have abused Sister Cathy and committed her murder.

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3) Jean Wehner’s Testimony

Jean Hargadon Wehner, a former student at Archbishop Keough, provided a horrifying account of her experience with Father Maskell. She claimed that Maskell took her to see Sister Cathy’s body as a form of intimidation, warning her against speaking out about the abuse she had suffered.

Wehner’s detailed recollection of maggots on Sister Cathy’s face was initially dismissed. But after some time, the police said that November's cold weather would have killed maggots. However, The Keepers shows that Cesnik's autopsy found maggots.

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4) Allegations against Father Joseph Maskell

Allegations against Father Joseph Maskell (Image via Netflix)

Father Joseph Maskell, the school chaplain, was accused by multiple students of s*xual abuse. Wehner’s recollections placed him at the center of the conspiracy to silence Sister Cathy, who was believed to have known about the abuse.

Maskell’s influence and connections within the church and local authorities allowed him to evade justice for years. The revelations of his crimes and potential involvement in Sister Cathy’s murder painted a chilling picture of corruption and abuse of power.

However, Maskell denied the abuse accusations up until he died of a stroke in 2001.

As reported by the Baltimore Banner,

As detailed in the attorney general’s report, in 1966, a year after Maskell was ordained, numerous parents complained that Maskell was asking Boys Scouts to describe their s*xual fantasies and practices while he filmed them. That same year, parishioners at Sacred Heart of Mary, where Maskell was stationed, wrote a letter to the archdiocese about Maskell taking “young girls” to the rectory under “suspicious circumstances.”

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5) The Role of the Church and Police

Sister Cathy (Image via Netflix)

The Keepers exposed potential collusion between the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office. The documentary suggests that these institutions may have worked together to cover up the abuse and protect the perpetrators. This alleged conspiracy extended the chilling impact of the case, revealing how deep the corruption and efforts to silence victims went.

Depicting how horrific the incidents were, the reports mention,

According to the report, Maskell would listen to girls’ confessions, identify those who were vulnerable and target them for abuse. He summoned girls from class, then took them in his private office where he would drug, r*pe, photograph and humiliate them.

It further mentions,

"He forced some girls to give themselves enemas while he watched. He took several of them to see a Towson gynecologist, Christian Richter, who examined and r*ped them, according to the report. Magnus often took part in r*ping the girls as well."

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A ray of hope

The Keepers' testimonies sparked legal changes. The Child Victims Act of 2023 removed the civil statute of limitations on childhood s*xual abuse claims in Maryland. A damning Maryland Attorney General report naming over 150 abusive clergy members and this legal change gave justice new hope. The documentary inspires abuse survivors to seek justice.

The Keepers is available for streaming on Netflix.