The small town of New River is slowly exhaling after the apprehension of a suspect in the brutal murder of a beloved local pastor, a gruesome act that has left the community grappling with a maelicast of emotions. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office named 51-year-old Adam Christopher Sheafe as the man responsible for the death of Pastor William "Bill" Schonemann of New River Bible Church.
Sheafe's arrest comes after his odd visit to the local El Pizzaria Sports Bar and Grill, a place where he was seen but not known. Michelle Thompson, the bar's owner, recognized Sheafe from his previous visits and a distinctive tattoo, saying he "kind of kept to himself," according to her statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. The sentiments of relief were echoed by locals like Gary Johnson, Dorothy, and Raquel Calderon, who expressed their gratitude for the arrest, while Calderon personally attested to the pastor’s extraordinary kindness, "This man was genuinely an angel among us," she told FOX 10 Phoenix.
The pieces of this dark puzzle were slowly put together following the discovery of Pastor Schonemann's body in late April. ABC 15 detailed that Sheafe, having a history of crimes across different states, had been observed near the New River Bible Chapel exhibiting suspicious behavior. Subsequent burglaries in the area and a minor hit-and-run in Sedona led law enforcement to collect items from Sheafe's stolen vehicle that linked him to the murder scene.
Despite the arrest, the motivation behind the targeting of Pastor Bill remains shrouded in mystery, "That's beyond me. That anyone can be that evil, hateful, or anything within themselves is scary," remarked Calderon in her interview with FOX 10 Phoenix. Authorities have stated the crime was religious in nature, with Sheafe reportedly acting alone and with plans for more victims, though no connection between Sheafe and Schonemann has been established. MCSO is continuing to investigate, in contact with those who were potentially at risk and is working on extraditing Sheafe to Maricopa County to face multiple charges.
