Nebraska priest dies after stabbing in parish rectory, suspect arrested

Gutgsell was listed on St. John the Baptist’s website as the parish’s pastor. Fort Calhoun is located about 10 miles north of downtown Omaha. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Sunday that deputies arrived at the scene of the incident six minutes after an emergency call was placed. At the rectory, police “located a black male suspect” on the premises and arrested him.

The sheriff’s office named the suspect as 43-year-old Sioux City, Iowa, resident Kierre Williams. No motive was given in the press release, though the sheriff’s office said the incident involved an “attempted break-in.” 

The sheriff’s office said the Washington County Attorney’s Office would be handling further media releases. Erik Petersen, the chief deputy attorney with that office, told CNA on Monday morning that he anticipated “charges will be filed by our office this afternoon or Tuesday morning.” 

“We are waiting for the autopsy to be performed and to allow our detectives to finish their investigation,” he said. 

Archdiocesan spokesman Riley Johnson, meanwhile, said that Archbishop Lucas “celebrated Sunday Mass with St. John the Baptist parishioners ​at St. Francis Borgia Parish in nearby Blair, Nebraska.”