— 43-year-old Kierre Williams is accused of killing Fr. Stephen Gutgsell early Sunday morning during a break-in at the rectory of St. John the Baptist Church in Fort Calhoun, about 20 miles north of Omaha.
By Joe Jordan
A Sioux City man has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of a Catholic priest.
43-year-old Kierre Williams is accused of killing Fr. Stephen Gutgsell early Sunday morning during a break-in at the rectory of St. John the Baptist Church in Fort Calhoun, about 20 miles north of Omaha.
Williams has also been formally charged with three other felonies: robbery, and two weapons charges.
According to an affidavit from the first police officer on the scene a “bloody knife blade” was found in the bedroom near a “large pool of blood.” The officer also stated the front door was broken and “appeared to have forced entry.”
In 2007 Fr. Gutgsell pleaded guilty to stealing a reported $125,000 from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in South Omaha, which has been closed and demolished. Fr. Gutgsell’s lawyer tells NCN the priest used the money to gamble.
According to court records, Fr. Gutgsell was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution. At least one published report says the Archdiocese believed Fr. Gutgsell had turned things around following that 16 year old case.
I’m Joe Jordan in Fort Calhoun, Washington County, where questions remain following the apparent murder of a Catholic priest, who was no stranger to troubling headlines.
According to authorities, 65-year-old Fr. Stephen Gutgsell was stabbed to death early Sunday morning inside the rectory of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. We’re told Fr. Gutgsell called 9-1-1 to report a break-in, six minutes later Sheriff’s deputies arrived and arrested 43-year-old Kierre Williams, who is from Sioux City, Iowa.
In 2007 Fr. Gutgsell pleaded guilty to stealing a reported $125,000 from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in South Omaha, which has been closed and demolished. Fr. Gutgsell’s lawyer tells NCN the priest used the money to gamble.
According to court records, Fr. Gutgsell was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution. At least one report says the Archdiocese believed Fr. Gutgsell had learned his lesson years ago.
Joe Naatz: “No comment means no comment, Joe.”
That was the attorney for 73-year-old Fr. Michael Gutgsell, according to numerous reports, the brother of Fr. Stephen Gutgsell.
Fr. Michael, former chancellor of the Omaha Archdiocese, was accused in 2021 of raiding the bank account of Fr. Ted Richling.
According to prosecutors, Richling was in failing health and incapacitated when Gutgsell—who had power of attorney over Richling’s finances—was writing himself more than 100 checks, totaling at least $155,000.
Following a 2021 court hearing Richling’s brother confronted Gutgsell.
Larry Richling: “I can’t even understand it, I’m so bitter. My trust…was broken.”
Part of Gutgsell’s defense: He planned to give the money back but had lent it to a homeless con-artist, who promised to repay Gutgsell but never did.
Earlier this year he was found guilty and sentenced to two years’ probation.
Gutgsell’s name is also prominent in the Nebraska Attorney General’s 2021, 174 page “Report on Clergy Sexual Abuse.”
According to the report, when he was Chancellor —one of the top five leadership posts in the Archdiocese— as Gutgsell listened to at least seven accusations of sexual abuse committed by three different priests in the Omaha diocese, Gutgsell dismissed the accusations, which went unreported to authorities for at least a year.
By the way one of those three priests was Fr. Ted Richling.
The Attorney General’s report zeroed in on 57 sexually abusive clergy and 257 victims.
At the time the AG said they were “unable to prosecute the offenders” due to priests dying and the statute of limitations.
As for Fr. Stephen Gutgsell, according to at least one report, authorities do not believe his death is linked to his previous criminal behavior.
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