Arizona pastor’s alleged killer admits to planning other religiously motivated murders

PHOENIX – The man accused of killing an Arizona pastor in April reportedly admitted he’d been plotting a series of religiously motivated murders.

During a recent interview through a jail-issued electronic device with ABC15, Adam Sheafe confessed to crucifying 76-year-old New River Pastor William Schonemann and discussed his motivation.

“I just drove there like two in the morning, maybe, and parked,” Sheafe, 51, said during a segment aired by the Phoenix TV station last week. “And then I just went in there and did it.”

Adam Sheafe explains motive in death of New River pastor

Sheafe said he believed Christianity was wrong and he intended to kill and crucify over a dozen priests and pastors in multiple states for “leading the flock astray.”

He said he traveled from his home in California to Arizona to carry out his plot. He also described an aborted attempt targeting a different victim on Easter Sunday, a week before Schonemann’s murder.

Schonemann, who was known by his congregation at New River Bible Chapel as Pastor Bill, was found dead in his home on April 28. New River is an unincorporated Maricopa County community north of Phoenix’s Anthem area.

Sheafe was arrested in Sedona two days later and booked into jail in Coconino County for unrelated crimes, including burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Authorities later said they had evidence linking Sheafe to Schonemann’s death at the time of his arrest, but they didn’t publicly identify him as a suspect in the Maricopa County homicide case until June 6.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said Sheafe has an extensive record of violent crimes.

Sheafe told ABC15 he confessed to the FBI and wants to be executed for killing the New River pastor.

“I told the FBI agent, ‘Look, I want the death sentence. I’ll plead guilty right now, on the spot. … And I want the execution date right now,’” he said.

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