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BLAIR, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska decide agreed Wednesday that the truth that the suspect was discovered mendacity on high of a badly wounded priest lined in blood stains final month inside the house the place the priest lived subsequent door to his small-town church means that Kierre Williams was liable for the killing.
Washington County Decide Edward Matney dominated there was possible trigger for the homicide case towards Williams, 43, to maneuver ahead. He’ll proceed being held with out bond till he’s due again in court docket early subsequent month to enter a plea to the homicide and weapons expenses he faces. His legal professional has declined to debate the case.
Prosecutors have stated there doesn’t seem like any connection between Williams and the Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, who was fatally stabbed on Dec. 10 contained in the rectory for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in tiny Fort Calhoun. The one-story dwelling was nonetheless wrapped in crime scene tape Wednesday practically a month after the assault.
The priest’s loss of life got here simply 4 months after one other seemingly random dwelling invasion killing within the city of 1,100 that’s eight miles north of Omaha and shook residents’ confidence of their security.
Chief Deputy Washington County Lawyer Erik Petersen recapped the important thing proof towards Williams Wednesday that he had largely outlined in court docket paperwork final month. Sheriff’s Deputy Brady Tucker talked about what he noticed after he rushed to the house minutes after the priest reported an intruder that Sunday morning, and a detective recounted what the preliminary investigation confirmed.
Tucker testified that he discovered Williams mendacity crossways on high of Gutgsell, whose face was lined with blood. Williams complied with instructions to point out his arms and get off the priest, and he was rapidly taken into custody.
Although Williams didn’t have a weapon when he was arrested, investigators later discovered a damaged knife with a serrated blade mendacity in the course of a blood stain on the ground of Gutgsell’s bed room.
When Williams was interviewed on the jail hours after the 65-year-old priest died at an Omaha hospital, he bore proof of the assault. An post-mortem confirmed that he died from a number of stab wounds.
“He was carrying ski pants, a coat, tennis sneakers and sort of some winter gear,” Detective Greg Corns stated. “There was blood on the outside of the pants, the sneakers and the shirt. There’s blood on the underside of his sneakers and a few blood spatter on the highest of the sneakers as nicely.”
Prosecutors haven’t but determined whether or not to pursue the loss of life penalty on this case.
Williams has an intensive legal historical past with a number of felony convictions in different states. However on the time of the killing, he was working in a meatpacking plant in Sioux Metropolis, Iowa. It’s not clear what introduced him to Fort Calhoun.
Josh Funk, The Related Press
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