Sheafe, who lived in California, said he set out on a road trip to murder these religious leaders, starting in Arizona, where he was baptized as a child. Sheafe camped in a tent near New River, where Schonemann lived and pastored.
Sheafe said that he killed Schonemann after tracking a separate potential victim. Sheafe changed his mind after seeing Schonemann around the community.
Sheafe has admitted to committing other crimes along the way, including car theft and home burglary. Sheafe said that he committed these crimes to resupply for his murderous mission.
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Describing his alleged murder of Schonemann, Sheafe said, “I just drove there at like 2 in the morning and parked. And then I just went in there and did it.” Sheafe said that he suffocated Schonemann before posing his body to resemble a crucifixion.
“That was my plan with all of them,” he said, “because I’m making a statement.”
Sheafe said that he didn’t feel “called” by God to commit these murders, but he said, “I’m very protective of him as he is of me. I love him with all my heart.”
“And so, no, he would never ask me to do something like this. I just did it completely, entirely on my own,” Sheafe said. “Will God forgive me? Of course he will forgive me. He’s a loving God. He’s a forgiving God.”
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Sheafe said that after he murdered Schonemann, he traveled to Sedona, Arizona, where he planned to kill again. He was arrested there after breaking into homes. He then made his full confession to the FBI and has requested capital punishment.
