Richard Stika, an American Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Knoxville from 2009 to 2023, died on February 17, 2026.
Born Richard Frank Stika on July 4, 1957, in St. Louis, Missouri, he resigned as bishop at the request of Pope Francis in 2023.
Stika had been accused of covering up the rape of a diocesan employee by a former seminarian, among other allegations of misconduct and mismanagement.
Richard Frank Stika (July 4, 1957 – February 17, 2026) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Knoxville from 2009 to 2023, when he resigned at the request of Pope Francis. Stika had been accused of covering up the rape of a diocesan employee by a former seminarian, among other allegations of misconduct and mismanagement.