Arizona man accused of crucifying pastor requests death penalty to quickly wrap up case
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An Arizona man accused of crucifying a priest and placing a crown of thorns on the victim’s head has requested the death penalty so everyone can “get on with our lives.”
Adam Sheafe, who is representing him, asked the judge last week to allow him to plead guilty so the case can be wrapped up quickly, saying the legal system is “holding this up,” according to Fox 10.
Sheafe, 51, is accused of killing William Schonemann, pastor of New River Bible Chapel, in April 2025 before dismembering the man’s body. Authorities said Schonemann was found dead on his bed with his arms outstretched and his hands pinned to the wall.
The suspect had previously confessed his guilt and never claimed innocence.
MARKET CRUCIFICATION MURDER ACCUSED SAID IN THE VIDEO THAT HE PLANNED TO KILL 14 MORE PEOPLE
Adam Sheafe said the killing was part of a conspiracy targeting more than a dozen Christian leaders across the country. (FOX 10)
“I’ve said from day one that I’m doing this. These are the reasons why I’m doing this, and I’m not objecting to anything,” he said in court Thursday, according to Fox 10. “And my speedy trial rights have gone from five months to basically two and a half years. And we’re extending that in the interest of justice.”
“What about the victim’s families? What about me? What about my family? We want closure so we can move on with our lives,” he continued.
Thursday’s request for the death penalty is reminiscent of comments he made a year ago when he said he wanted to be executed immediately.
“Send me to death row, set an execution date right now,” Sheafe told 12News at the time. “The victims want it. The victims’ families want it. I want it, the taxpayers want it too.”
Photo of Pastor William Schonemann and sunset. (Randall Schonemann)
Sheafe told Fox 10 last year that the 76-year-old Schonemann’s murder was part of a plot to target more than a dozen Christian leaders across the country in a mission he called “Operation First Commandment.”
He claimed that Schonemann and other Christian pastors were leading their followers astray. The defendant’s father, Chris Sheafe, told Arizona Family that his son had become obsessed with the Bible and had a large tattoo on his neck, which means God in Hebrew.
“Adam became extremely interested in the Old Testament. He read it extensively. And part of that process turned into his interest. We were excited not when we found out he did it, but when we got the tattoo,” his father said. “That means God. That means he’s directly related to God. And he wanted people to know that that was his devotion.”
Sheafe, who says he is mentally healthy, initially filed a “no contest” motion, but the Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office objected to that request. Sheafe later offered to plead guilty, but a judge said a future hearing would need to be held first to ensure his guilty plea was made voluntarily.
FOUND DEAD IN ARIZONA MARKET HOUSE WITH HIS HANDS PROVIDED TO THE WALL IN MURDER.
Pastor William Schonemann photographed in an antique airplane. (Randall Schonemann)
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“It is an indisputable fact that the victim, Pastor Bill Schonemann, was over 70 years of age. It is an indisputable fact that the crime was heinous in nature. I intended it to be heinous. So those are two aggravating factors. And I have no mitigating factors. So I say, why do we have to drag this out any further? Why can’t we go to sentencing? I don’t. I object to everything,” Sheafe told the court on Thursday.
“I made a full confession to the FBI before I was even indicted,” he continued, adding that he confessed to the crime in interviews with multiple news outlets.
