Omaha, Nebraska – Prosecutors in Nebraska have made the decision to forgo seeking the death penalty in the case of a Catholic priest’s murder in December, opting instead to pursue it in the brutal killing of a retiree during a break-in that occurred four months prior in the same small town.
Kierre Williams stands accused of fatally stabbing Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, during a break-in at the rectory next to St. John the Baptist Church in Fort Calhoun, just hours before he was set to conduct mass on December 10. In another incident, William Collins has been charged with shooting Linda Childers, 71, with a crossbow three times in her back, neck, and face before slitting her throat following a break-in at her isolated home about a mile north of the community in August.
No apparent connection has been found between the suspects and victims in either case, presenting a perplexing situation for the approximately 1,100 residents of the town located just 8 miles north of Omaha near the Missouri River.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, burglary, and weapons offenses. Collins also faces additional charges of assault and theft, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday, they will request that prosecutors provide further details about the charges brought against them.
In Collins’ case, his attorney has previously chosen not to discuss the matter outside of court. Despite a motion to have the death penalty deemed unconstitutional in Collins’ case being rejected by Judge Bryan Meismer, both defendants continue to dispute the allegations against them.
Attorney Brian Craig, representing Williams, stated that the charges against his client do not meet the state’s requirements for a death penalty sentence, arguing that no aggravating circumstances support such a severe punishment. Conversely, prosecutors plan to establish three aggravating circumstances in Collins’ case to make a case for the death penalty, citing the heinous and cruel nature of Childers’ killing and the intent to conceal identity or another crime through the act.
Authorities revealed that following Childers’ murder, Collins fled to Texas, where he was apprehended about two weeks later. The findings of these cases have stirred deep concern and disbelief within the community and beyond, underscoring the gravity of the crimes committed in this quiet town.