Overview

• Sheafe, 51, confessed on June 24 to crucifying 76-year-old Pastor William Schonemann in his New River home, describing the attack as a divine mission.
• During the interview with True Crime Arizona, he revealed he had followed a priest after Easter and planned a nationwide killing spree targeting 14 religious leaders.
• Authorities linked Sheafe to a series of burglaries and a high-speed chase in Sedona, which led to his arrest and the discovery of evidence tying him to the New River murder.
• Sheafe remains in Coconino County Jail and is expected to be extradited to Maricopa County to face formal charges in the Schonemann homicide.
• The case has prompted scrutiny of religiously motivated violence and raised questions about Sheafe’s mental health evaluation and the criminal justice system’s response.