UPDATE: HE WAS UNDER POLICE INVESTIGATION FOR UNDERAGE HOMOSEXUALITY - Director of Ministry Richard Balentine for Notre Dame College Prep in Niles pulls a hara–kiri - Found Dead on Campus

UPDATE: The Notre Dame College Prep faculty member who was found dead on the Niles campus this week was the subject of a police investigation into whether he had engaged in inappropriate communications with "current or former Notre Dame male students," Niles police said Wednesday. Another Catholic homosexual bites the dust.

A 38-year-old faculty member at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles was found dead on campus of an apparent suicide, Niles police said today.

Police identified the victim as Richard Balentine. He is listed on the school’s website as the director of campus ministry for the Niles high school.

School spokeswoman Teresa Connelly confirmed that a teacher passed away, but would not comment further. She said students were notified sometime today of the teacher’s death. Connelly said the teacher was last seen at 6 p.m. last night.

School staff members entered residences near the school’s sanctuary and found Balentine “in a lifeless state in his room” at about 9 a.m., according to Niles police. Balentine lived at the residence, which is connected to the school but not somewhere students travel or enter at any point during the school day, police said.

“The victim appeared to have taken his own life,” police said in the release.

Niles police are currently investigating the incident with the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.