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[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|right|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
New Hieromartyr Father '''John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz''' (1937-May 19, 1985) was the parish priest and one of the founders of the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/?page_id=2 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church] in Santa Cruz, California, and a fervent preacher of the [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Faith]], for which he was martyred by Satanists in 1985.
His memory is celebrated on [[May 19]], on the eve of the feast of the translation of the holy relics of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, for whom Fr. John had a great reverance, because as a child he often visited the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros]], Greece.
===Assailants===
The police searched for the killers and found three people, a couple and the son of the man from another woman. They were priests and worshipers of Satan. They drank cobra venom while they were arrested and two of them died, and the third lost his mind and could not testify.<ref name="PANTAKRATOROS"/>
The criminals responsible were Edward and Anna Bowman. Edward Bowman was eligible for the death penalty, but pled guilty to avoid execution. Bowman was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 1988. However he was eligible for parole in 2010. In February 2010, the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office reported that he was denied parole, with the Parole Board ruling that he will not be eligible again until 2015.<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 8, 2010.</ref>
This brutal crime was pre-meditated. Detectives involved in this case believe these criminals were responsible for other crimes, and committed other murders. One theory is they told Father John, in counseling, of their crimes. They became nervous then planned his murder to ensure Father John remained silent. As he lay dying they rifled through Father John’s pockets, searched his office and stole items from the Church. The criminal’s son was in fear for his life as Edward Bowman, while bragging of the brutal murder, threatened to kill him as well if he said anything about the murder. Psychiatrists who examine Bowman agree, he has sociopath tendencies, is a pathological liar and to this day expresses no remorse.<ref name=Facebook>[http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatis]. Facebook (group).</ref>
In the absence of a more plausible reason for the crime, it is most likely that the killing, like the church desecration a few months prior to it, was done at the hands of those who hated Fr. John for his holy work, of those who are the enemies of God and rebel against Him because they serve the first rebel, Satan. But whether Fr. John was killed for overtly satanic purposes or for other, irrational reasons, he had without doubt a [[Martyr|martyric]] death, giving his life for [[Christ]] and dying in the very church in which he had diligently served Him.
* [http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/fr-john-karastamatis-murderer-denied.html Fr. John Karastamatis' Murderer Denied Parole]. MYSTAGOGY - The Weblog of John Sanidopoulos.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 8, 2010.
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatis]. Facebook (group).
'''In Greek'''<br>
* [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ. ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη. (''Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros (Impankratoros.gr)'')
