Adam Christopher Sheafe, a 51-year-old ex-convict, has confessed to the murder of 76-year-old Pastor William "Bill" Schonemann, and planned to carry out a series of killings targeting religious leaders across multiple states. Schonemann, affectionately known as 'Pastor Bill,' was found deceased in his New River home a week after Easter, an event that has sent ripples across the community he served for decades.
In chilling details obtained by ABC15, Sheafe admitted to having a hit list with more than a dozen names of priests and pastors, indicating a cross-country murder spree with religious motivations at its core. The suspected killer reportedly selected his victims randomly, believing Christians were being misled by their leaders. He planned to swiftly continue to his next victim after Schonemann; Sedona and Las Vegas were next on his list.
Sheafe, who has previously served time for federal offenses, also confessed to other felonies such as car theft and breaking into homes in pursuit of supplies, not valuables. His arrest came with the assistance of multiple agencies, including Sedona police. Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan described the case as "probably one of the most bizarre cases I have ever seen in my 40 years with the Maricopa County sheriff's office," according to a statement given to The Roys Report.
Initially captured on unrelated felony charges, such as aggravated assault and possession of a stolen vehicle, Sheafe's connection to Pastor Schonemann's murder was pieced together and he was later identified as a suspect in the religiously motivated killing. Sheriff's Capt. David Lee, as cited by The Roys Report, intimated that Sheafe had taken an actively to plan other crimes against religious leaders.
The community remembers 'Pastor Bill' as a man devoted to service, with his son Randy Schonemann implying that forgiveness would have been offered, even to his killer. "The congregation believes the pastor would have shown forgiveness, even to his killer," he told KPNX-TV Ch.12 and relayed by The Roys Report. Despite the gravity of his crimes, Sheafe shared no remorse in his interviews, and instead claimed he was "protective" of God and expected forgiveness from a loving deity.
Law enforcement officials have not disclosed all the specifics of Schonemann's death, but made it clear that robbery or theft were not the motives.
