- The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, was stabbed to death during an invasion of the rectory at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
- Kierre L. Williams, 43, was arrested for Gutgsell's murder and taken to the Washington County Jail
- Gutgsell was taken to a hospital in Omaha, where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said
The suspect who stabbed a Catholic priest to death in a small Nebraska community has been identified.
Kierre L. Williams, 43, of Sioux County, Iowa, was arrested for killing Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, during an invasion of the rectory of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun.
Williams was charged with murder and using a weapon to commit a felony, the Washington County sheriff said.
Gutgsell was taken to a hospital in Omaha, where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said.
The suspect was taken to the Washington County Jail and the sheriff's office said the investigation is ongoing.
The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, was taken to an Omaha hospital where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said
Gutgsell, 65, was stabbed to death during an invasion of the rectory of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a statement Sunday
The suspect is a black man. Authorities took him into custody, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement
Gutgsell, 65, called 911 around 5 a.m. and told police someone was trying to break into the rectory.
Police found Gutgsell injured and a suspected attacker inside, and it is unclear what Williams' motive was for killing Gutgsell.
“He's not from around here. As far as we know, he's not from Fort Calhoun or Nebraska.”
The local church's statement said: “The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating and no further details are available at this time.”
Police found Gutgsell injured in the church and the suspected attacker was also inside
Mike Fitzgerald, a parishioner at St. John the Baptist, said the church's regular 8:30 a.m. service was canceled. He told the Omaha World Herald: “Father Gutgsell has been here for 11 years and I thought he was a very holy man.”
“He's not from around here. As far as we know, he's not from Fort Calhoun or Nebraska.”
The local church's statement said: “The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating and no further details are available at this time.”
“Please join Archbishop George Lucas in praying for the repose of Father Gutgsell, for his family and for the parish of St. John the Baptist at this tragic time.”
Mike Fitzgerald, a parishioner at St. John the Baptist, said the church's regular 8:30 a.m. service was canceled. He told the Omaha World Herald: “Father Gutgsell has been here for 11 years and I thought he was a very holy man.”
“He did a lot for the community. “He always made sure the (church) bulletin had everything we needed to know about what was going on in the church.”
The sheriff's office said there is no threat to the community and the investigation is ongoing.