Rev. Stephen Gutgsell was attacked, during an assault at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, on Sunday.
Kierre L. Williams, 43, is facing charges of homicide and weapon use, following the fatal assault on Rev. Stephen Gutgsell.
After the reported attempted break-in at the church, law officials responded quickly and located Rev. Stephen Gutgsell injured alongside a suspected attacker. The event happened at 5 a.m., causing authorities to respond quickly. Gutgsell was immediately brought to an Omaha hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
Kierre L. Williams, 43, has been arrested as the accused assailant. According to a statement published by Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson, Williams now faces homicide and felony use of a firearm charges. As the community grapples with the tragic tragedy, the circumstances surrounding the attempted break-in and subsequent attack are being probed.
Following the tragic tragedy, the community of Fort Calhoun is in mourning. The death of Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, who had a deep impact on both the local and global religious communities, has prompted reflection on the safety and security of places of worship. While they contemplate the awful events that occurred at their church, the community awaits further updates as officials continue to sift through the case’s intricacies.
Gutgsell’s brother’s previous theft charges.
Rev. Stephen Gutgsell entered a plea of guilty to theft by fraud, having stolen $127,000 from a nearby church last 2007. He was given a probationary term and told to pay back the money. He was later transferred to another church. Church officials claim that Gutgsell learned his lesson, expressed regret, and requested pardon at the time.
Earlier this year, his brother, Rev. Michael Gutgsell, who was the chancellor of the Omaha archdiocese from 1994 to 2003, entered a guilty plea to theft as well. The authorities believed that the prior case had nothing to do with Gutgsell’s death.
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