On the morning of July 28, 1981, just after midnight, shooters broke into Rother's church's rectory and shot him twice in the head after a brief struggle. The killers forced the teenager Francisco Bocel (who was in the church) to lead them to Rother's bedroom. The men threatened to kill Bocel if he did not show them Rother, and so Bocel led them downstairs and knocked on a door near the staircase. Rother opened the door, and a struggle ensued as Bocel escaped.