A Catholic priest was fatally stabbed early Sunday, December 10 in the rectory of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call around 5:05 a.m. about an attempted break-in at the church. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Father Stephen Gutgsell with apparent stab wounds and a suspect still on the scene.
The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Kierre L. Williams of Sioux City, Iowa, was taken into custody at the scene. Williams was later arrested on charges of homicide and the use of a weapon to commit a felony.
Father Gutgsell, 65, was promptly taken to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, about 17 miles from the church, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Father Gutgsell had been serving as an associate pastor with the Archdiocese of Omaha, dividing his time between the Fort Calhoun parish and St. Francis Borgia in Blair. The Archdiocese of Omaha released a statement following the incident. Archbishop George Lucas led a service at St. Francis Borgia and addressed congregants about the incident.
This incident has brought renewed attention to Father Gutgsell’s past. In 2007, he pleaded guilty to embezzling $127,000 from a different parish, leading to a sentence of probation and restitution. Following this, he was reassigned to another church, where church officials believed he had learned his lesson.
In 2021, Gutgsell’s brother, Michael, also a priest, pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from a retired priest who had willed his estate to the archdiocese. Despite these past controversies, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson has stated that they do not believe Father Gutgsell’s death is related to his past crimes.
The investigation into the stabbing and the circumstances are ongoing. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has not released more details at this time.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is temporarily closed, and parishioners are being directed to St. Francis Borgia for services.
Parishioner Mike Fitzgerald recalled Gutgsell as a “very holy man” who contributed significantly to the community and the church.
