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Chilling details emerge in priest’s murder with suspect found lying in cross over body

Kierre L Williams, 43, is accused of stabbing Stephen Gutgsell to death in the rectory at St John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun on Sunday

Martha McHardy
Thursday 14 December 2023 14:28 EST
Reverend Stephen Gutgsell, 65, of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, was fatally stabbed after an individual broke into his church just hours before a Sunday mass
Reverend Stephen Gutgsell, 65, of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, was fatally stabbed after an individual broke into his church just hours before a Sunday mass (Archdiocese of Omaha)

The suspect in the murder of a Nebraska priest was found lying across his victim’s body to form a “human cross” after stabbing him, according to court documents.

Kierre L Williams, 43, is accused of fatally stabbing Stephen Gutgsell, 65, in the rectory at St John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun on Sunday.

Police arrived at the scene to find Gutgsell with “a severe laceration to his face and was bleeding profusely,” according to the affidavit filed on Tuesday in Washington County court.

Williams, from Iowa, was found covered in blood lying perpendicularly across the clergyman in a cross shape, court filings obtained by WOWT claim.

Police then approached the two men and ordered Williams to crawl away from Gutgsell so EMS workers could help him.

Williams complied with the order, according to court documents, and gave an “incoherent statement” when asked if he was armed.

Stephen Gutgsell, 65
Stephen Gutgsell, 65 (Fort Calhoun Baptist Church)

No weapon was found at the scene but police later found a knife in the priest’s bedroom “next to a large pool of blood.”

Gutgsell was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, while Williams was taken into custody.

The 43-year-old has since been charged with homicide and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

Court documents state Williams became aggressive while in custody and had to be placed in a restraint chair.

A motive for the suspected murder has not been released and it is not known if Williams and Gutgsell knew each other.

Kierre L Williams, 43, was charged with homicide and use of a weapon to commit a felony
Kierre L Williams, 43, was charged with homicide and use of a weapon to commit a felony (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
The Washington County Sheriff's office investigates the scene of a fatal stabbing on a Catholic priest in the rectory of St. John the Baptist Church
The Washington County Sheriff's office investigates the scene of a fatal stabbing on a Catholic priest in the rectory of St. John the Baptist Church (Omaha World-Herald)

Both men had previous run-ins with the law, according to court filings,

Williams has previous convictions for cocaine possession and evading the law in Florida in 2008, while Gutgsell was arrested in 2007 for embezzling $125,000 from his Omaha congregation, and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution.

Police said the embezzlement was not connected to the killing.

At the time, Gutgsell’s lawyer said his client was “deeply ashamed” of his conduct.

Gutgsell’s stabbing is the second killing in Fort Calhoun this year.

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