WISCONSIN
Pioneer Press
By Kevin Harter
Pioneer Press
In the second and final interview with Hudson, Wis., police investigators 12 days before the Rev. Ryan Erickson hanged himself, the priest was asked several times if he killed Dan O'Connell and James Ellison.
"If I did it and I've been living with it for this long and you guys had me cornered here I'd break, I'd tell you, I know I would. Uh, and the reason is because I think the guilt would be so overwhelming. I really do," Erickson told investigators on Dec. 7, 2004.
"… I mean you try to get away, human nature says you'll try to get away with it. But I, I personally myself I would tell you. I jus, I really believe that. I believe if I did something that heinous I would tell you because I don't think I could live with myself. I honestly don't believe I could, I mean I would, ya know I've thought about suicide before. You know if I did something that heinous, I tell you what, I think I'd be thinking about it now and I'd be ready ta, and …"
Asked if he still thought about suicide, Erickson said no.