NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Just as the trial of former New Orleans priest Lawrence Hecker was set to begin Tuesday morning, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping a boy in the mid 70s. Hecker initially pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted him in 2023 on charges of first-degree rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature and theft. The 93-year-old's plea comes after multiple delays related to his competency to stand trial. "There were a lot of legal mechanisms and gymnastics just to get to a trial date, and we knew once we got this firm trial date, there wasn’t going to be a place for this predator to run,” said Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams. Former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office employee accused of fraud In July, psychiatrist Dr. Sarah DeLand said based on a 7,000-page report of Hecker's health, he should be tested for dementia. A month later, Hecker was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia with mild cognitive impairment. In September, the judge overseeing the trial at the time, Judge Benedict Willard, recused himself, and Hecker was unable to appear in court after being hospitalized for a urinary tract infection. One dead, five injured in Avondale home explosion Attorney Richard Trahant, who's representing multiple victims of Hecker’s in their civil lawsuits, says the disgraced priest’s unexpected plea is bittersweet.“My client is extremely disappointed that he wasn't able to be in the courtroom to hear Hecker admit what he did to him because while he admitted other crimes, he never admitted this one,” said Trahant.Hecker's attorneys defend their client's decision to wait until the morning of the trial to change his plea and say he's taking responsibility for his actions."It's not unusual at all for a defendant to not plead guilty and then to get to this point where they're on the finish line and the case is going to trial, you know, they realize what is about to happen and the reality of it,” said Bobby Hjortsberg, one of Hecker's defense attorneys. “It really slaps you in the face.”Williams says although this was a difficult case to prosecute, he hopes more victims will feel empowered to come forward.“I hope that there's a message that although sometimes justice is delayed, it will not be denied,” Williams said. The Archdiocese of New Orleans released the following statement: "It is our hope and prayer that today’s court proceedings bring healing and peace to the survivor and all survivors of sexual abuse. We continue to hold all survivors in prayer.” Sentencing is set for Dec. 18, and during the hearing, the court will hear the victim impact statement. Hecker is expected to receive a life sentence. Latest Posts Ex-ballerina convicted of killing husband in 'Black Swan' case gets 20 years in prison E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's onions is over: CDC Judge in Hunter Biden tax case rebukes president’s claims of unfair treatment Frontier Airlines to roll out first-class seating, other perks in 2025 App claims its AI can predict when you'll die