A lunatic accused of impaling a priest and placing a crown of thorns on the dead man’s head has pleaded with an Arizona court to impose the death penalty so “we can get on with our lives,” according to reports.
Adam Christopher Sheafe made the strange plea Thursday, saying law enforcement was “getting it back” a year after he was arrested for allegedly killing Christian leader William Schonemann, 76, in a disturbing incident at the victim’s home.
Sheafe, who is a private, pleaded guilty to murder in a news interview.
“From day one, I said I did this. These are the reasons why I did this, and I don’t dispute anything,” he told the judge and prosecutors Thursday, according to Fox 10.
“And my speedy trial rights go from five months to two and a half years.
“What about the families of the victims? What about me? What about my family? We want closure so we can move on with our lives.”
Law enforcement officials said Sheafe traveled from Phoenix to New River on April 28 to brutally kill Schonemann as part of a larger plot to kill 14 Christian leaders.
Schonemann, who was the beloved leader of the New River Bible Chapel for 25 years, was found dead with his arms open in his bed and his hands pinned to the wall, according to authorities.
Sheafe in a previous interview said that his victim and other Christian pastors were leading followers on a false path and called his big plan “Operation First Commandment.”
The defendant’s father, Chris Sheafe, told Arizona’s Family that his son loved the Bible so much – he even had a large tattoo of the Hebrew word for God on his neck.
“Adam became very interested in the Old Testament. He read it a lot. And part of that process became his interest; we were not happy when we heard that he had done it, but having a tattoo,” said Chris Sheafe.
“It means God.” It means that he has a direct relationship with God, and he wanted people to know that he was honest.
The alleged killer, who says he is mentally sound, tried to plead no contest, but the Maricopa County District Attorney’s Office denied that plea.
Because of this, Sheafe asked to plead guilty, but the judge did not take action on Thursday because a future hearing needs to ensure that his plea was entered voluntarily, 12 News reported.
“Why do we have to drag this on and on? Why can’t we just go to sentencing? I am not against anything,” said the defendant on Thursday.
“Before I was indicted, I made a full confession to the FBI. I did four interviews with four different media outlets.”
But prosecutors need to convince a judge or jury of two serious crimes in order for Sheafe to be executed, according to 12 News.
The defendant himself gave two reasons: the age of the victim and the tragic nature of the murder.
“It is an indisputable fact that the crime was painful in nature. I intended it to be bad,” he admitted.
