Arizona Murderer Pleads Guilty and Demands Execution After Crucifying Elderly Pastor
In a chilling courtroom scene, a self-confessed murderer begged a judge for the death penalty after being accused of heinously killing and crucifying an elderly pastor in his Arizona home. Adam Sheafe, 51, appeared in Maricopa County Superior Court on Thursday and pleaded 'no contest' to charges of murdering 76-year-old Pastor William Schonemann in New River on April 28, 2025.
Gruesome Details and Courtroom Plea
Sheafe was indicted in July on nine charges, including first-degree murder, three counts of attempting to commit first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and kidnapping. After the alleged killer, who is representing himself in court, was denied pleading no contest, he impatiently changed his plea to guilty, hoping to speed up the court procedures.
'We're dragging this out in the interest of justice,' said Sheafe to the judge. 'What about the victim's families? What about me? What about my family? We want closure so we can move on with our lives.'
'If there's at least one aggravating factor and no mitigating factors, a guilty defendant is to be sentenced to death. So sentence me.'
Religious Motivation and Additional Targets
Sheafe claims to have no mental health issues and told True Crime Arizona correspondent Briana Whitney in June: 'I want the death penalty because I want to show that you can't kill God's son.' He also revealed that he had a list of 14 additional intended targets across several states, all religious leaders.
Most of the planning, as Sheafe described, took place while he was broke and camping in the Arizona desert after his release from federal prison. The self-admitted killer explained the pastor's death in horrific detail. After allegedly executing Schonemann, he placed a crown of thorns, crafted from materials he gathered in the woods, on the elderly man's head.
Disturbing Crime Scene and Evasion
The pastor was found on his bed, arms spread and hands pinned to the wall. 'I was going to put the Ten Commandments in order on each of the priests,' he chillingly said during the interview. Among his murder charges, police also accused him of breaking into a home in Cave Creek and stealing a pickup truck.
He admitted stealing a car and breaking into homes, though he denied doing so for valuables. He managed to avoid capture for some time, evading police in a high-speed chase at one point where he crashed his car into another vehicle and disappeared, leaving his vehicle behind.
The abandoned car, found near a trailhead, had been stolen from Cave Creek. Inside, authorities reportedly found evidence linking Sheafe to Pastor Schonemann's murder. Sheafe was caught days later after a manhunt for multiple burglaries. He claims he planned to continue his nationwide spree of religious killings if not caught.
Confession and Legal Proceedings
Just days after his capture, Sheafe reportedly sent a letter to the FBI, confessing details that only someone who had witnessed the bloody crime scene could know. 'I told the FBI agent, look, I want the death sentence,' Sheafe said. 'I'll plead guilty right now, on the spot... I want the death sentence, and I want the execution date right now.'
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office intends to seek the death penalty, according to a filing cited by Law & Crime. Sheafe is scheduled to appear back in court in April, where his demand for execution will be further addressed in the legal process.
