At the beginning of 1981 Rother was warned that his name was on a death list of the right-wing death squads (he was number eight on the list) and that he should leave Guatemala at once to remain alive. Rother was reluctant but he nonetheless returned to Oklahoma in January and while home in Okarche, celebrated a mass served by Daniel Henry Mueggenborg, a college student who became inspired by Rother to pursue the priesthood, though he later asked the archbishop for permission to return. Another reason for returning was that he wanted to celebrate Easter with them. Rother went back to Santiago Atitlán in April and knew that he was being watched.