Young Trial: Others Urged Sullivan to Write a Will Before He Died

SAN ANGELO, TX — The late John Sullivan talked about leaving money to an ultra-conservative Catholic Sect that still clings to pre-Vatican II beliefs, and and adopting a child from an orphanage in India according to testimony in John Young’s forgery, theft and money laundering trial Friday.  

On Friday, taking the stand first for the prosecution was Scott Quinn of Kansas City, Missouri.  Quinn testified that he was a lifelong Catholic. He was also involved with the Society of Saint Pius X as a fundraiser.  The SSPX was formed in 1970 after the second Vatican council in 1962 modernized the Roman Catholic Church.  Its founder was excommunicated from the Catholic Church and its priests are still not in communion with Rome.  They preferred the pre-Vatican II Church sacraments in Latin.  

Quinn worked as a fundraiser for the SSPX from 2012 to 2016.   Quinn told jurors that he met John Sullivan over the phone and that Sullivan and written at least two large checks to the SSPX.   Evidence showed that Sullivan wrote a check to the SSPX for $20,450 on Christmas Day 2010.  He also wrote another check on Christmas Day 2011 for $100,000.  He also signed a P.O.D. form with the SSPX.  A P.O.D. is a contract payable after death, but it is not a will.   

Quinn said he became suspicious of Sullivan when Sullivan called him when Quinn thought he had traveled overseas to Spain in April 2014. Quinn said Sullivan told Quinn he was dealing with complex legal issues and could not leave the country. Quinn hung up after the conversation with Sullivan on the phone call and searched on Google for Sullivan's name and San Angelo. The picture of Sullivan and an article detailing his arrest on charges for online solicitation of a minor and possession of child pornography appeared. He set up a Google alert and followed the Sullivan, Zapata and Young case closely since then on San Angelo LIVE!

Quinn testified that he urged Sullivan to create a handwritten will during his testimony. Handwritten wills require no attorney fees to complete and are just a valid in probate court. However, Quinn testified that he didn’t believe the handwritten will purported to be Sullivan’s was written by him. Sullivan would never have agreed to be cremated, he testified.  Defense attorneys showed Quinn several photographs the defense claimed to be of columbariums at various Catholic churches across the U.S.  Quinn said he didn’t know what a columbarium was and said he didn’t believe the defense attorney.  

Columbariums are basically crypts at churches where cremated remains are kept.  Quinn was combative in his testimony under cross examination by the defense.  

Quinn was excused from the witness stand around 10:30 a.m.  At that time, the judge called attorneys for both sides into his chambers.  A short time later he called in the court reporter.  At 11:10 a.m. testimony resumed in open court.  

The next witness for the prosecution was Armando Martinez.  He is the other San Angelo bail bondsman Ray Zapata called to help secure the $2 million bond for Sullivan in March of 2014 on the online solicitation and child porn charges.  Martinez testified that he and Zapata bailed Sullivan out of jail.  Sullivan wrote them a check for $300,000.  Zapata got $150,000 and Martinez got $150,000.  

Martinez testified that he and Zapata ‘baby sat’ Sullivan because he was a flight risk and that was the largest bond either of them had ever written.  They were in daily contact with Sullivan.  Zapata picked him up each week day and drove him to the Senior Center on South Chadbourne St. for a free lunch.  Martinez would pick him up at his home on Saturdays and take him to PePe’s Diner on FM 2105 for breakfast.  

Martinez testified that during one of those breakfast outings, Sullivan told him he wanted to set up a trust fund for an orphan in an orphanage in India because he was ‘one of them.’  Sullivan claimed to be an orphan, but earlier testimony showed he had a half sister.  Martinez also testified that he urged Sullivan to write a will.

Zapata and Martinez found Sullivan dead in his home on June 4, 2014. Martinez testified that Zapata called Young and that Young told Zapata to find a document in Sullivan’s house with his signature on it.  Martinez said Zapata didn’t find a document, but took a book from the residence and placed it in his truck before police arrived.  

There were multiple objections from both the defense and the prosecution over hearsay evidence and misleading questions.  Judge Brock Jones sent the jury out of the courtroom on two occasions while he met with attorneys and allowed Martinez to read the transcript of his interview with Texas Ranger Nick Hanna.

Judge Jones recessed the trial after Martinez was excused from the witness stand.  Testimony begins again Monday morning at 9 a.m. in courtroom A on the second floor of the Tom Green County Courthouse.