A local New River pastor’s tragic death has officially been ruled a homicide, and now authorities believe it was religiously motivated.
The body of 76-year-old William “Bill” Schonemann, pastor of New River Bible Church, was found in his home on April 28 under disturbing circumstances. Known affectionately as “Pastor Bill” to his neighbors, Schonemann was widely regarded as a kind, faithful, and generous man who lived out what he preached. But behind the community’s grief now lies a chilling revelation: the man suspected of killing him, 49-year-old Adam Christopher Sheafe, may have been driven by religious motives.
Schonemann’s body was discovered with what police describe as “significant injuries.” According to early reports, his arms were spread out on his bed, and his hands were pinned to the wall—details that shocked residents and deeply unsettled investigators. “It’s just something that we are not used to dealing with here,” said neighbor Mike Anders, who lived next to Pastor Bill for 12 years. “Everybody is just—until we know what’s going on—we don’t know if it was a family member or who could do this to him.”
Zane Sharpe, a former church member, shared the community’s heartbreak: “My heart just dropped. It dropped to my core. Like what a sweet guy, a pastor too. Everyone holds pastors in high esteem, but this guy truly lived what he spoke.”
After weeks of uncertainty, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office named Adam Sheafe as the prime suspect. Sheafe is an ex-convict with a troubling criminal past, including domestic violence and fraud, and was released early from prison in 2023. According to Capt. David Lee of the MCSO major crimes division, investigators now believe Sheafe’s actions were religiously driven and part of a broader plan involving additional potential victims.
“The information we have has indicated that the motive was religious in nature, and that there were a number of future victims planned,” Lee said at a press conference. “Some of those in Arizona—and he had taken action in furtherance of those additional crimes.”
Authorities say Sheafe had been seen acting suspiciously around New River Bible Church in the days before the murder. Though law enforcement was unable to apprehend him during an initial burglary investigation, they later connected him to the crime. He was finally arrested on April 30 in Sedona following a series of attempted burglaries, a high-speed chase, and a foot pursuit through the Coconino National Forest. At the time of his arrest, he reportedly had the Hebrew name of God—“יהוה” or “YHWH”—tattooed on his neck.
Pastor Bill’s son, Randy Schonemann, has been leaning on the love and support of friends, family, and the wider faith community. “We’ve gotten a ton of support from everybody and people willing to do incredible things to help us,” he said. Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Randy added, “He was supposed to do a memorial service today for a 99-year-old lady in the congregation that passed away. And I’m sure she’s up there giving him a hard time about how she waited 99 years to find the right guy to do her memorial, and he skipped out on it.”
William Schonemann was a Vietnam veteran who came to faith after the war. He and his wife were married for nearly 49 years before she passed away in 2022. He was not only beloved in New River, but also in his son’s Montana community, where he regularly visited and served.
Despite the horrifying details, police believe this was an isolated incident. “At this time we have information that suggests Sheafe acted alone, and there is no further danger to the community,” said Capt. Lee. Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez added, “Our thoughts are with Mr. Schonemann’s loved ones as we continue our efforts to bring justice in this case.”
As investigators continue to piece together the full story, one thing remains clear: Pastor Bill’s life left a lasting impact on all who knew him—and his faith will be remembered far longer than the evil that took him.
