The Las Vegas priest wanted in last week's attack inside his church had sexually assaulted his victim, hit her over the head repeatedly with a wine bottle and choked her before fleeing from police, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
The Rev. George Chaanine has been on the run since Michaelina Bellamy was attacked Friday afternoon at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church, 3050 Alta Drive, near Rancho Drive.
Advertisement
Authorities issued an arrest warrant Tuesday charging the 52-year-old priest with attempted murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon, sexual assault with a deadly weapon and other related charges.
Bellamy is a professional singer who has performed with stars such as Engelbert Humperdinck and starred in "Folies Bergere" in the 1980s.
Bob Massi, the attorney who is representing Bellamy, said she and Chaanine were co-workers at the church. Massi said Bellamy had sung in the choir and had worked in the front office of the church.
Massi said he was unsure whether the two had socialized. "I know he (Chaanine) went to dinner with several people who worked at the church many times," he said.
In addition to beating her with the wine bottle, Chaanine stomped on her hand, police allege. The sexual assault charge is for digital penetration of her genitalia, according to the criminal complaint.
Bellamy, who was treated for her injuries at University Medical Center and released Friday night, is going to be interviewed at the end of the week for an "America's Most Wanted" television broadcast. She has refused local requests for interviews.
"The only reason we're doing 'America's Most Wanted' is to catch the bad guy," said Massi, who has appeared on the air several times for the Fox television network as a legal analyst.
Police have said they think Chaanine drove away from the church in a cream-colored 2005 Buick sedan with Nevada license plate 732 RRM.
The case has made national headlines and is featured on the front page of the "America's Most Wanted" Web site.
The Diocese of Las Vegas has suspended Chaanine and has said it is cooperating with police.
Barbara Dorris, outreach director of the national group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, issued a statement challenging the Roman Catholic church and the diocese to do "more than the bare minimum."
"We hope that the diocese will actively work with police to find Chaanine but also that the bishop will personally visit every parish where Chaanine has worked and remind parishioners that they have both a moral and a civil obligation to report if they have experienced abuse, suspect abuse or witnessed abuse," the SNAP statement said.
"Bishops often tend to minimize abusive behavior by priests, not taking action until someone has been assaulted. This is a chance for the bishop to set a good example, voluntarily turn over documents, use every resource at his disposal -- diocesan newspaper, church bulletins, diocesan website, etc -- to encourage parishioners to help the police and prosecutors solve this violent crime."
Chaanine had been a priest at Our Lady of Las Vegas for about three years. He was promoted to church administrator in July after the previous pastor, the Rev. Robert Petekiewicz, left amid accusations by former workers of financial misdeeds.
Before moving to Las Vegas, Chaanine worked at Maronite rite churches in El Paso, Texas, and Wheeling, W.Va.
