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 distress call at approximately 5:05 a.m. about an attempted break-in at the church. Deputies found Father Stephen Gutgsell suffering from stab wounds, along with the perpetrator still present.
Kierre L. Williams, 43, from Sioux City, Iowa, was apprehended at the site. Williams was later charged with homicide and using a weapon for a felony. Father Gutgsell, 65, was rushed to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, about 17 miles away, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Father Gutgsell was serving as an associate pastor in the Archdiocese of Omaha, dividing his duties between the Fort Calhoun parish and St. Francis Borgia in Blair. Archbishop George Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha held a service at St. Francis Borgia, addressing the congregation about the tragic event.
The incident has revisited Father Gutgsell’s history. He confessed in 2007 to embezzling $127,000 from a different parish, leading to probation and a restitution order. He was later reassigned, under the belief of his rehabilitation. Father Gutgsell’s brother, Michael, also a priest, pleaded guilty in 2021 to defrauding a retired priest.
Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson has indicated that Father Gutgsell’s past misdeeds are not believed to be related to his death. The investigation into the stabbing and its circumstances continues, with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office withholding additional details at this time.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is temporarily closed, with services moved to St. Francis Borgia. Parishioner Mike Fitzgerald described Gutgsell as a profoundly spiritual man who greatly contributed to the community and the church.
