On Friday, Herman Law held a news conference to announce a lawsuit against the Diocese of Orlando amid new child sexual abuse allegations against a late priest.
Robert “Bob” Hoeffner, 76, and his sister, Sally Hoeffner, 69, were found dead in the Palm Bay home they shared in January 2024.
Authorities later concluded they had been fatally shot by Brandon Kapas, 24, a former student at St. Joseph Catholic School, where Hoeffner had served.
During Friday’s news conference, Shawn Teuber spoke alongside Jeff Herman, a nationally-recognized attorney and advocate for survivors of sexual abuse.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Orange County, seeks damages of at least $25 million.
The complaint names several defendants, including the Diocese of Orlando, St. Joseph Catholic Church Palm Bay, Inc., St. Joseph Catholic School, and St. Joseph Catholic Church, alleging that they failed to protect Teuber from sexual abuse perpetrated by Hoeffner.
Teuber claims that he was subjected to grooming and sexual abuse by Hoeffner during his time as a student at St. Joseph Catholic School from 2009 to 2014.
The lawsuit details instances where Hoeffner allegedly isolated Teuber under the guise of counseling, leading to multiple incidents of abuse both at the school and in private settings.
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