Arizona man who admitted to crucifying pastor asks for death penalty so 'we can move on with our lives'

An Arizona antheral accused of crucifying a pastor and placing a crown of thorns connected the victim's caput has requested the decease punishment truthful everyone "can determination connected with our lives."

Adam Sheafe, who is representing himself, asked the justice past week to let him to participate a blameworthy plea, truthful the lawsuit tin wrapper up quickly, saying the ineligible strategy was "dragging this out," according to Fox 10.

Sheafe, 51, is accused of murdering William Schonemann, the pastor of New River Bible Chapel, successful April 2025 earlier mutilating the man's body. Schonemann was recovered dormant with his arms dispersed retired successful his furniture and his hands pinned to a wall, authorities said.

The fishy antecedently confessed to the transgression and has ne'er claimed to beryllium innocent.

PASTOR'S CRUCIFIXION MURDER SUSPECT SAYS ON VIDEO HE PLANNED TO KILL 14 MORE

Adam Sheafe said the sidesplitting was portion of a crippled targeting much than a twelve Christian leaders crossed the country. (FOX 10)

"From time one, I’ve said I did this. These are the reasons wherefore I did this, and I’m not contesting anything," helium told the tribunal connected Thursday, according to Fox 10. "And my speedy proceedings rights went from 5 months to fundamentally 2 and a fractional years. And we’re dragging this retired successful the involvement of justice."

"What astir the victim’s families? What astir me? What astir my family? We privation closure truthful we tin determination connected with our lives," helium continued.

His petition for the decease punishment connected Thursday echoes comments helium made a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile helium said helium wanted to beryllium executed immediately.

"Put maine connected decease row, acceptable the execution day for close now," Sheafe told 12News astatine the time. "The victims privation it. The victim's families privation it. I privation it, and the taxpayers privation it."

A photograph of Pastor William Schonemann and a sunset.  (Randall Schonemann )

Sheafe told Fox 10 past twelvemonth that the execution of Schonemann, 76, was portion of a crippled targeting much than a twelve Christian leaders crossed the state successful a ngo helium called "Operation First Commandment."

He has claimed that Schonemann and different Christian pastors were starring followers onto a mendacious path. The defendant’s father, Chris Sheafe, told the Arizona Family that his lad had go obsessed with the Bible and has a ample tattoo of a Hebrew connection for God connected his neck.

"Adam became highly funny successful the Old Testament. He work it extensively. And portion of that process became his interest. We weren’t excited erstwhile we’d learned that he’d done it, but to person the tattoo," his begetter said. "It means God. It means he’s straight related to God. And helium wanted radical to cognize that was his allegiance."

Sheafe, who says helium is mentally sound, initially filed a petition to plead "no contest," but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office objected to that request. Sheafe past offered to plead guilty, but a justice said a aboriginal proceeding indispensable hap archetypal to guarantee his blameworthy plea is entered voluntarily.

ARIZONA PASTOR FOUND DEAD WITH HANDS PINNED TO WALL IN HOMICIDE AT HOME

Pastor William Schonemann photographed successful an antique airplane. (Randall Schonemann)

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"It's an undisputable information that the victim, Pastor Bill Schonemann, was implicit 70 years old. It's an undisputable information that the transgression was heinous successful nature. I intended it to beryllium heinous. So they're 2 aggravating factors. And I person nary mitigating factors. That's wherefore I'm saying, wherefore bash we person to resistance this connected and connected and on? Why can't we conscionable spell to sentencing? I'm not contesting anything," Sheafe told the tribunal connected Thursday.

"Before I was adjacent indicted, I gave a afloat confession to the FBI," helium continued, adding that helium besides admitted to the transgression successful interviews with aggregate quality outlets.