The slaying of a Los Angeles bishop has reverberated throughout dioceses across the nation.

Bishop David G. O’Connell was found dead in his residence at 1 p.m. Feb. 18 with a gunshot wound to the upper torso. O'Connell, 69, had served the city of Los Angeles for most of his four decades as a priest and was beloved by many, the National Catholic Register reported. 

Police classified the death as a homicide and have since arrested a suspect.

“Bishop O’Connell was beloved by those he served as a parish priest and bishop for many decades and was best known for his work to promote peace and transform lives in South Los Angeles,” said Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez in a diocese statement. “I pray that his example of selfless dedication to those in need will inspire others to share the love of Christ generously in the world around them.”

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies apprehended Carlos Medina, 65, identifying him as the primary suspect in the killing. At a Monday news conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said help from citizens resulted in the arrest, Angelus News reported. 

Medina is the husband of a housekeeper who had worked at O’Connell’s home in Hacienda Heights. He was arrested after an extensive overnight search. 

About 150 people gathered in the parking lot of St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights on Monday night in front of a small outdoor shrine devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the second night of a prayer vigil. The mourning was put together by members of the local Knights of Columbus chapter and the parishioners, in memory of O’Connell. 

Attendees held candles and embraced each other while they prayed, Angelus News reported. A first vigil had been held the previous night outside O’Connell’s home on Janlu Avenue. 

O'Connell was known as a peacemaker and received the esteemed Evangelii Gaudium Award from St. John's Seminary in Camarillo in September in honor of his selfless dedication to the Los Angeles community and church, according to the National Catholic Register. 

O’Connell also served as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ subcommittee on the Catholic campaign for human development.

"Out of his love for God, he served this city for more than 40 years, as an immigrant from Ireland,” Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez was quoted as saying in an L.A. Catholics' report.  “I would say that among the many things that I admired in him in his life and ministry was that he was fluent in Spanish with an Irish accent.” 

O'Connell was born in Ireland in 1953 and studied for the priesthood at the former All Hallows College in Dublin. 

In 1975, he earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy and English literature from University College Dublin, a bachelor of divinity in 1977 from Maynooth College, and a masters of spirituality in 1987 from Mount St. Mary's College, L.A. Catholics said. 

Following his ordination, O'Connell worked as associate priest in a number of parishes before taking over as pastor at the south Los Angeles parishes of St. Frances X, Cabrini, Ascension, St. Eugene and St. Michael's.

"Every day he worked to show compassion to the poor, to the homeless, to the immigrant, and to all those living on society’s margins,” Gomez said. “He was a good priest and a good bishop and a man of peace. We are very sad to lose him."