A Vicious Attack In A Holy Place

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Our Lady Of Las Vegas Parish

Cops in Las Vegas have told AMW more details about a savage attack that has left a woman badly hurt and a Catholic priest on the run.  Police have refused to name the victim, but her attorney has identified her as Michaelina Bellamy.  Police say that Bellamy was working on a computer in a church office when she suddenly felt two blows to the back of her head.  According to investigators, when she turned around George Chaanine was standing behind her with a green wine bottle. 

Authorities say that over the next few minutes, Chaanine broke the bottle over Bellamy's head, dragged her by the hair across the room, and knocked her to the ground.  Cops say that Bellamy even bit Chaanine on his left wrist in an effort to break free and get away.  Bellamy told police that even when she passed out for a moment, that didn't stop her attacker -- he continued to choke her, even as she came to. 

While there were no eyewitnesses to the attack, there were church personnel on the grounds.  Police say that Channine ran off the church grounds after the attack and may have made his escape in a 2005 cream-colored Buick LeSabre.  Church employees made the call to 911 to report the incident. 

Currently, George Chaanine's whereabouts are still unknown and Las Vegas law enforcement are asking for the public's assistance in helping bring the Catholic Priest into custody.

Las Vegas Priest Accused Of Assault

Parishioners at Our Lady of Las Vegas were shocked when they heard the news that a reverend who is a senior leader at their parish may have beaten a fellow church worker and gone on the lam.

Police say that it all began around 4:30 in the afternoon on January 26, 2007 when neighbors called authorities after a woman came running out of a church building saying she had been beaten.  Cops immediately shut down the local streets in hopes of catching the accused man, Rev. George Chaanine.   At first, police believed that Chaanine had barricaded himself in the church with a weapon, but as time passed, cops learned that Chaanine had most likely fled in his car.

The woman who claimed Chaanine beat her was transported to a local hospital and is recovering.  Authorities say that Chaanine had been with the parish for just over a year and was generally well-regarded and beloved by the children of the church.  The Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas reports that since the incident, Chaanine has been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of the investigation.

Cops believe that Chaanine may have a gun and should be considered armed and dangerous.  Police are also trying to track down Chaanine's car, a 2005 cream-colored Buick Le Sabre with the Nevada license plate 732 RRM. 

Cops Take Down Vegas Priest

For the last six days, law enforcement officials in multiple states have been on the lookout for a Catholic Priest accused of beating a felllow church employee and going on the lam.  The manhunt paid off on February 1, 2007 when a multi-agency apprehension team spotted the cream-colored 2005 Buick Le Sabre belonging to George Chaanine.

Chaanine was arrested in Apache Junction just outside Phoenix, Arizona.  The Catholic Priest had been a wanted man since police say he beat, groped and choked a female church worker and soloist in a parish office in Las Vegas.