Steven Gutgsell death: Suspect arrested for killing Nebraska priest after breaking into church rectory

FORT CALHOUN, NEBRASKA: Father Stephen Gutgsell, a Catholic priest in a small Nebraska city, fell victim to a fatal stabbing by suspect Kierre L Williams who brazenly broke into the church's rectory on Sunday morning, December 10. 

The gruesome discovery was made by sheriff deputies around 5 am at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, a city 20 miles north of Omaha, with Father Gutgsell found with stab wounds.

Who is Kierre L Williams?

The suspect, identified as Williams, a 43-year-old from Sioux City, Iowa, was apprehended at the scene and now faces charges of homicide and the use of a weapon to commit a felony. The initial call to law enforcement was for an attempted break-in at the church, setting off a tragic sequence of events that led to the priest's untimely death.

Father Gutgsell was swiftly rushed to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where, regrettably, he was pronounced dead. The Archdiocese of Omaha expressed profound sorrow in a statement, confirming that the priest was assaulted during an "invasion at the rectory."

"Please join Archbishop George Lucas in prayer for the repose of Father Gutgsell, for his family, and for the St. John the Baptist parish community in this tragic time," the statement read, as per Omaha World-Herald.

Community mourns Father Stephen Gutgsell's loss

Parishioners, like Mike Fitzgerald, remembered Father Gutgsell as a "very holy man" who had been a part of the church for 11 years. “He did a lot of things for the community. He always made sure that the (church) bulletin had everything we needed to know about things going on at the church,” he said.

In a twist that adds complexity to the tragedy, it was revealed that over a decade ago, Father Gutgsell had pleaded guilty to theft by deception in 2007 for embezzling $127,000 from another area church.

However, he was sentenced to probation and restitution, and church leaders reassigned him, expressing belief that he had learned from his past actions.

Sheriff Mike Robinson of Washington County dispelled any immediate connection between Gutgsell's past criminal trouble and his tragic death. In the wake of the devasting incident, the usual 8.30 am Mass was canceled.