On the morning of July 15th, 2020, a cleaner at the church in Tucuman, Argentina entered the church early to begin cleaning and preparing the church for the day. Inside, he found Father Oscar Juarez, the priest, handcuffed and unresponsive. The cleaner immediately contacted the police where pronounced Father Oscar dead at the scene.
Father Oscar Juarez was born on Feburary 6th, 1953 in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina and entered the major Seminary on March 7th, 1972. Bishop Blas Victorio Conrero ordained him a Priest on March 17, 1979 and shortly afterwards Father Juarez studied in Rome, graduating in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1983. When he returned to Argentina from Rome, Father Juarez was appointed professor at Our Lady of Mercy and Saint Joseph major seminary and at the Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Higher Institute of Religious Culture. He had been the the Parish priest of San Martin de Porres Parish since March of 2004.
Police believe the assault and murder be tied to a robbery as several items were stolen inside the church.