Latest news with #Schonemann
Roya News
3 days ago
- Roya News
'To rid Israel of evil': Man crucifies pastor in Arizona citing divine mission
Adam Christopher Sheafe, 51, has confessed to the murder of New River pastor Bill Schonemann, revealing a disturbing plot to "execute" and "crucify" at least 14 Christian leaders across 10 states in what he called "Operation First Commandment". Sheafe, who showed no remorse, stated his actions were part of a "divine mission" to "rid Israel of evil" and punish pastors he believed were misleading their followers. Pastor Schonemann, 76, a beloved figure at New River Bible Chapel, was found dead in his home on April 28. Sheafe was apprehended on April 30 in Sedona. In a jailhouse interview on June 24, Sheafe admitted to the killing, explaining his motive stemmed from a belief that Christian pastors preach a false doctrine regarding Jesus and the Trinity. He confessed to placing a crown of thorns, made from desert trees, on Pastor Schonemann's head after the killing, a symbolic act to signify the pastor's preaching was contrary to his beliefs. Pastor Schonemann was found dead in his bed, not physically crucified. Sheafe's "Operation First Commandment" targeted 14 pastors and priests, starting and ending in Arizona. His alleged hit list included cities in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Alabama, and Texas. He claimed he was about to kill two priests in Sedona before his arrest. The New River community is mourning Pastor Schonemann, remembered for his kindness and willingness to help. His family expressed alarm over Sheafe "enjoying the attention" and his continued public messaging from jail, viewing it as a "very serious threat". Sheafe has not yet been formally charged with Pastor Schonemann's murder but is currently held in Coconino County Jail on unrelated burglary charges, including two burglaries in Sedona, unlawful flight, aggravated assault, and theft of a stolen vehicle. His criminal history includes a 2013 domestic violence arrest and federal prison time for bank fraud and identity theft. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is working to prepare formal murder charges.
NDTV
6 days ago
- NDTV
Christian Priest Crucified In US, Suspect Confesses He Had 14 More On List
New Delhi: The man accused of crucifying an elderly pastor in Arizona confessed to the crime in a jailhouse interview. The 51-year-old Adam Christopher Sheafe added that he had a longer list of religious leaders he intended to kill. In an interview with FOX 10, Sheafe claimed to have killed Pastor Bill Schonemann, 76, who was the leader of the New River Bible Chapel in New River, Arizona, in April. Schonemann, who was referred to as "Pastor Bill" in the neighbourhood, was discovered dead in his bed on April 28. His arms were pinned to the wall behind him and stretched wide, in the form of a crucifixion. According to Sheafe, the brutal attack was a part of a spiritual mission that he titled 'Operation First Commandment,' to punish religious leaders who he believed were deceiving followers. Sheafe told FOX 10 that he believed Christian churches were misguiding their members by encouraging them to follow Jesus, a false God, and that his goal was to crucify 14 more pastors or priests of no particular religion. Police apprehended Sheafe in the vicinity of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, where he intended to kill two priests. He is currently being held at the Coconino County Jail and has been charged with first-degree murder in Maricopa County. In his interview with True Crime Arizona on Monday, the 51-year-old suspect discussed the unsettling image, including the crown of thorns he claimed to have created from items he gathered in the woods and placed on pastor Schonemann's head. Sheafe said he had planned to follow a priest to his home in Phoenix after Easter services in order to kill him prior to the Schonemann murder. This was the first of 14 planned "executions" that would have taken place across the country. Following Schonemann's murder, Sheafe claimed to have travelled to Sedona with the intention of killing two more religious leaders. He eventually was found to be the suspect in a break-in, which prompted Sedona police to pursue him faster. Despite the gruesome crime, Adam Sheafe resolutely declined to offer an apology for the purported murder. He claimed that he was behaving in accordance with what he considered to be God's law and that he expected redemption.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Pastor's crucifixion murder suspect says on video he planned to kill 14 more
The man accused of brutally crucifying a rural Arizona pastor has not only admitted to the alleged crime, but said that he planned to kill more than a dozen other Christian leaders. Adam Sheafe, 51, told Fox 10 in an interview that he murdered Pastor Bill Schonemann, 76, head of the New River Bible Chapel in New River, Arizona. On April 28, Schonemann was found dead in his bed with his arms spread wide and pinned to the wall behind him. The bizarre display left the community reeling. Arizona Pastor Found Dead With Hands Pinned To Wall In Homicide At Home Sheafe's plan was to crucify 14 more Christian leaders of no particular denomination, he told FOX 10, ascribing his motive to a belief that Christian churches were leading their congregants astray by teaching them to follow Jesus, whom he says is a false God. He titled his mission "Operation First Commandment." Read On The Fox News App Sheafe was captured by police near the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, where he planned to kill two priests, he said. Kansas Catholic Priest Was Shot 'Intentionally And With Premeditation,' Prosecutor Alleges "The day I was going to execute that priest, I tried getting into the back of his car. There was like a little lady on a bike that got in my way, and I was just going to get in the back seat and tell him to drive to his house," Sheafe said. He later defiantly refused to apologize for the alleged killing. In an interview with 12News, Sheafe explained further how he planned Schonemann's killing. "I saw that he had a Wednesday evening Bible study, so I sat there and waited for them to arrive, so that I could locate which one was the priest, and then I just followed him," Sheafe said. "And then I returned on Sunday to execute and crucify him to this wall." He also said he wanted to be executed. "Put me on death row, set the execution date for right now," Sheafe said. "The victims want it. The victim's families want it. I want it, and the taxpayers want it." Sheafe has been charged with first-degree murder in Maricopa County, but remains in the custody of the Coconino County Jail. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital that the case is under review, and that generally, any first-degree murder convict is subject to the death penalty. It is unclear whether he has an attorney, but Fox News Digital reached out to the public defender's article source: Pastor's crucifixion murder suspect says on video he planned to kill 14 more
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect confesses to crucifying pastor in Arizona home – and had others on hit list
In a chilling jailhouse interview, the man accused of a gruesome, religiously motivated murder of a beloved pastor in Arizona said he had committed the crime and revealed he had a broader hit list of religious leaders he intended to kill during his murderous rampage. Adam Christopher Sheafe, 51, told True Crime Arizona Monday that he crucified 76-year-old Pastor William Schonemann, known in the community as 'Pastor Bill,' inside his New River home in April. Sheafe said the attack was part of what he claimed was a divine mission to punish religious leaders who, in his view, were misleading followers. 'I drove from there (Phoenix) to Bill's house, like two in the morning on a Sunday night, and I executed him,' Sheafe told the correspondent Briana Whitney, who sat across the table from him. Schonemann was found dead in his bed, covered in blood, on April 28 during a welfare check. During the interview, Sheafe spoke about the disturbing scene, which included details about a crown of thorns, which he said he made from what he found in the woods, and placed on Schonemann's head. 'Because what I'm saying is, what you're preaching is not what God said,' Sheafe explained. 'It's the opposite of what God said.' Sheafe revealed that Schonemann was not his only target. Prior to the murder, he said he had followed a priest home after Easter services in Phoenix with the intent to kill him — the first of 14 intended 'executions' across the country. 'Starting in Arizona, where I was born,' Sheafe said. 'Where it starts is where it ends, like the Garden of Eden.' But he claimed to have stopped that first attempt when two women unexpectedly entered the priest's garage. 'I'm not interested in executing anyone other than the pastors or the shepherds leading the flock astray,' he said. After killing Schonemann, Sheafe said he traveled to Sedona, where he planned to murder two more religious leaders. He would later be identified as the suspect in a burglary which led to a high-speed chase with Sedona police. But Sheafe evaded capture when he disappeared after crashing his car into another vehicle, police said. His abandoned car—later discovered to be stolen from Cave Creek—was recovered at a nearby trailhead. Authorities say they found evidence inside the car that reportedly tied Sheafe to the New River killing. He was finally arrested a few days later, during a manhunt related to the string of burglaries. Had he not been caught, Sheafe said he planned to continue his killing spree nationwide. 'From there, it was Las Vegas, Nevada; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Billings, Montana; Detroit, Michigan; New York, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; Beaumont, Texas and El Paso, Texas,' he said. 'So, four of them were going to get hit in Arizona.' Sheafe claimed he was acting under what he believes is God's law and that he expects to be forgiven. He has maintained that violence wasn't in his nature, stating: 'Look, it's not my heart to go around killing people.' When asked how he would feel if someone crucified him, Sheafe replied, 'Good luck trying.' 'I want the death penalty because I want to show that you can't kill God's son,' Sheafe said. 'The whole story is B.S.' When Whitney pointed out that executions often take years, Sheafe responded, 'Well, I want to be executed quickly so we can get this show on the road and show exactly what I'm trying to do… All you gotta do is worship Jesus and you go to Heaven; your sins are forgiven. That's not what God said.' Asked if he believed God would forgive his sins, Sheafe said, 'Absolutely he will forgive my sins. He is a forgiving God and loving God.' Whitney challenged that logic: 'How do you justify that? I mean, if you're killing somebody or multiple people — attempted, how does that work?' 'It's a commandment to rid Israel of evil,' Sheafe replied. Told by Whitney that he would probably be spending the rest of his life in prison, Sheafe said: 'That's what you think.' Sheafe remains behind bars at Coconino County Jail and is expected to be extradited to Maricopa County. Charges related to Schonemann's murder are pending.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Beloved Pastor Found Slain With Hands Pinned to Wall, Body Posed: ‘Was It Someone He Knew?'
William Schonemann was a pastor in New River, Ariz. His manner of death has been ruled a homicide Police say the case has "specific and unique circumstances" An Arizona community is reeling after a beloved pastor was found dead, reportedly with his body posed last month. William Schonemann, 76, was found slain in his home in New River, Ariz., on April 28, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. His death was determined to be a homicide by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. A cause of death was not released to the public. The sheriff's office said evidence at the scene suggested there may have been foul play. As the investigation continues, more details are unfolding about the circumstances surrounding his death. Schonemann's body was reportedly posed when it was found by investigators: It had been spread out and his hands were reportedly pinned to the wall, FOX 10 reported, citing unspecified sources. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE they have not released any such details to the public. There are "specific and unique circumstances to this case," the sheriff's office said in their statement, without elaborating further. Schonemann's wife died in 2022, per AZ Central. It wasn't clear if he lived alone at the time of his death. Known to many as Bill, the popular pastor was a Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, AZ Central reported. He was also known for his love for fixing cars and put together his own vehicles, his son Randall Schonemann told the outlet. The two once worked on restoring an airplane over several weeks, Schonemann's wife Crystal said. "The happiness he showed just getting to walk around an airport getting his steps in. The creativity of all the machines he built," Randall said in a statement to 12 News, speaking of his father's "positive impact on people everywhere he went." William's death has left the community in grief and fear. 'I'm just wondering was it some random person? Was it someone he knows?,' his friend Eric Archer said, according to AZ Family. 'I'm just curious what happened and why. I just can't imagine someone hurting Bill, in any matter for any reason.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The sheriff's office said there is no threat to the community and it's an isolated incident; they did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for information on whether William knew the alleged killer. No suspect or person of interest had been announced. Read the original article on People
