NEWARK, N.J. — A phone call made to 911 from the phone of a priest who was stabbed to death went unheeded by police, authorities charged today.

Prosecutors in Morris County say a call was made Thursday evening from the phone of the Rev. Edward Hinds in Chatham. It was received at a call center operated by state police.

The caller requested police services before the call was cut off. The operator called back and got another man who told the operator there was no emergency. That person is believed to be suspect Jose Feliciano.

Hinds’ body was found Friday morning in the rectory of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Parish.

Investigators are probing whether the state police dispatcher notified local police about the call.

Feliciano was being held yesterday in lieu of $1 million bail in a New Jersey hospital, but officials investigating the case were tight-lipped about any other details of what led to the gruesome killing.

The 64-year-old janitor is charged with first-degree murder in the death of the Hinds and two counts of weapons possession, New Jersey cops said.

Feliciano has confessed to stabbing Hinds 32 times in the face, neck and back in the rectory of St. Patrick’s Church in tony Chatham, police said. Authorities have said the janitor feared being fired.

Feliciano and Hinds had argued Thursday afternoon in the rectory, the priest’s home since 2003.

The dispute was “over Feliciano’s continued employment,” Morris County prosecutor Robert Bianchi has said.

Hinds’ face was bruised and his hands had defensive wounds, suggesting he was beaten before the stabbing.

Hinds called 911 from his cellphone during the attack, Bianchi said in a statement yesterday. The call cut off and when an operator tried to call back, it went to voice mail.

The operator tried again and Feliciano answered, police said. He told the operator there was no emergency. No police services were dispatched.

With AP wire services.