Man Who Crucified a Pastor Requests Death Penalty So “We Can Move On With Our Lives”

• Suspect Requests Death Penalty in Arizona
• Pastor Was Crucified at Home
• Case Shocks Arizona

A case that has shocked Arizona due to the brutality of the crime took a new legal turn after the accused himself asked the court to speed up the process so he can receive the death penalty.

The man who admitted to killing a pastor and placing his body in a position resembling a crucifixion requested that the case move forward quickly so a sentence can be issued.

The request was made by Adam Sheafe, 51, who appeared before the Maricopa County Superior Court and asked to plead guilty as soon as possible in the murder of Pastor William “Bill” Schonemann, 76.

• Why it matters: The defendant not only confessed to the crime from the beginning but is also insisting that the legal process has been unnecessarily prolonged and that he wants to be sentenced to death as soon as possible.

The Accused Insists the Arizona Pastor Murder Case Should Be Closed Quickly

During the court hearing, Adam Sheafe argued that the legal system is dragging out the process unnecessarily.

“We are dragging this out in the name of justice,” Sheafe said during the hearing, according to local media.

The defendant also insisted that both he and the families involved need closure.

“What about the victim’s family? What about me and my family? We want to close this chapter so we can move on with our lives.”

Sheafe, who is representing himself in court, asked the judge to allow him to plead guilty so the case can be resolved without a lengthy trial.

Adam Sheafe reiterated to the court that he has never denied the crime

“From day one I said I did this. These are the reasons why I did it, and I am not disputing anything,” he told the court on Thursday.

“And my right to a speedy trial went from five months to basically two and a half years. And we are dragging this out in the name of justice.”

Sheafe again insisted that the case should end soon.

The Crime That Shocked a Religious Community

The murder occurred in April 2025 and the victim was Pastor William Schonemann, leader of the New River Bible Chapel church in Arizona.

The body was found on April 28 at his home in New River, a community located about 64 kilometers north of Phoenix.

Two members of his congregation went to his house after not hearing from him and discovered the body.

According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the pastor’s body was positioned with his arms extended, “similar to a crucifixion.”

Authorities said the victim’s hands were attached to a wall.

Prosecutors Link the Murder to a Larger Alleged Plan

Investigators believe the crime may have been part of a broader plan.

According to prosecutors, Adam Sheafe allegedly planned to target 14 Christian leaders across the country in a mission he called “Operation First Commandment.”

The defendant previously claimed in interviews that some religious leaders were leading their followers down the wrong path.

In addition to murder, authorities have charged him with other crimes, including attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, and burglary.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, investigators connected him to the crime through evidence found both at the pastor’s home and in other incidents in the area.

Evidence and Incidents Leading to His Arrest

Among the evidence cited by authorities is the theft of a truck in Cave Creek, about 32 kilometers from the murder scene.

He was also arrested after allegedly breaking into a home in Sedona.

According to prosecutors, Sheafe admitted to killing Pastor William Schonemann and placing his body against a wall with a crown of thorns on his head.

The Defendant Insists He Deserves the Death Penalty

The accused had previously expressed his desire to be executed.

“Put me on death row, set the execution date for right now,” Sheafe said in an interview with 12News last year.

“The victims want it. The victims’ families want it. I want it, and the taxpayers want it.”

In the most recent hearing, he again insisted that the case should move directly to sentencing.

“It is an undisputed fact that the victim, Pastor Bill Schonemann, was over 70 years old. It is an undisputed fact that the crime was heinous by nature. I intended it to be heinous.”

“So there are two aggravating factors. And I have no mitigating factors. So I ask: why do we have to keep dragging this out over and over again? Why can’t we just go to sentencing? I’m not disputing anything.”

The defendant also reminded the court that he confessed from the beginning

“Even before I was formally charged, I gave a full confession to the FBI.”

Court must still evaluate his guilty plea. Although Sheafe offered to plead guilty, the court did not immediately accept the request.

He had initially filed a plea of “no contest,” but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office opposed it.

He later requested to plead guilty, but the judge stated that an additional hearing must first take place to confirm that his decision is voluntary.

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Adam Sheafe Claims He Is Mentally Sound

Meanwhile, prosecutors have formally notified their intention to seek the death penalty.

Sheafe is expected to appear in court again next month as the legal process continues to determine whether his guilty plea will be accepted and how the case will proceed.

SOURCE: La Opinión / Fox News