18 years after the incident, police have finally arrested the suspected murderer of Father Thomas Gaffney, the founder of St Xavier’s School, Jawalakhel. A team of police intercepted Khadka at Kakkadvitta in Jhapa district while he was trying to re-enter Nepal from India on Monday.

Police made the accused, Gopal Khadka, public amid a press meet in the Capital on Tuesday (April 21, 2015) where they disclosed 43-year-old Khadka was a domestic help at Fr Gaffney’s house.

Father Gaffney was found dead on the floor of his social center and home at about 8 a.m. on December 13, 1997 with his throat slit but with no evidence of forced entry or a struggle.

Ekantipur.com reports Khadka, a native of Fasku-8 in Dolakha district, was presumed as the sole suspect based on the statements of other people and his sudden disappearance after the murder .

He has admitted to killing Gaffney and fleeing to India the very next day taking Rs 22,000 from his possession.

He told the police in his statement that he murder ed Gaffney because he did not pay him for the working as domestic help despite his promise.