The Cottonwood Police Department has released drone footage used to help Sedona Police Department officers and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies locate track and arrest Adam Christopher Sheafe, a 50-year-old homicide and burglary suspect, in the Chapel area of Sedona on April 30. Sheafe allegedly burglarized two Sedona homes on April 29 and 30.
After he ditched a truck stolen from Cave Creek on April 29, SPD learned from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office that Sheafe was a person of interest in homicide of 76-year-old New River Pastor Bill Schonemann, whose body was found on April 28. The severity of the New River crimes prompted the SPD manhunt when Sheafe was located on surveillance cameras burglarizing the second Sedona home.
Sheafe was recently interviewed by Briana Whitney with AzFamily Channel 3 at the Coconino County Detention Center in Flagstaff, and he described in detail on camera how he murdered Schonemann and that he intended to kill 13 other ministers and pastors around the country, including at least one in Sedona, who he did not name. While Sheafe has yet to be charged with homicide in Maricopa County he is the primary and sole suspect.
Schonemann, who was found dead in his home in the 1900 block of Calvary Road in New River around 7:30 p.m., on Monday, April 28, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
The MCSO held a press conference at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, and formally connected Scheaf to the murder of Schonemann. Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said the murder case was “tragic and bizarre.” MCSO also stated that Schonemann’s murder was religious in nature but declined to provide specifics.
Sheridan said other future victims were planned, some in Arizona, but MCSO had been in contact with those potential victims. MCSO did not provide details as to why Shaefe was camping near the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Chapel area, home of three churches and a synagogue.
Sheafe has not yet been indicted in Maricopa County. He remains in custody at the Coconino County Detention Center in Flagstaff.
Sedona Burglaries
Sedona officers responded at 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, to a report of a burglary in progress. The owner of a house in the 100 block of Rufous Lane called 911 to report that she could see a male subject, later identified as Sheafe, walking around in the house through interior cameras.
Neighbors in the area stated that the then-unidentified suspect was a white man wearing a cowboy hat and a light blue short-sleeved shirt over a long white-sleeved shirt and black jogger pants. The suspect reportedly entered the area at 9:34 a.m. and left at 9:53 a.m. He was carrying bolt cutters and driving a red, four-door truck with a full cover over the truck bed.
According to Sedona Patrol Cmdr. Christopher Dowell, on the afternoon of April 29, a Sedona police officer spotted the truck Sheafe was driving, prompting a vehicle pursuit southbound on State Route 179, ultimately leaving Sedona city limits. Sheafe was weaving in traffic around vehicles during the chase and collided with another motorist, causing minor damage to that vehicle, Dowell stated. The Sedona officer terminated the pursuit due to public safety considerations.
Sheafe pulled into Yavapai Point Trailhead and fled into the wilderness. While the officer was checking the registration on the abandoned vehicle, Sedona police determined it had been stolen out of Cave Creek.
Dowell stated that the MCSO informed Sedona police on the morning of April 30 that Sheafe might be linked to the active Schonemann homicide case.
At approximately 6:22 p.m. on April 30, Sedona officers responded to a reported burglary at a home registered as a short-term rental on Gambel Lane, Dowell stated. Rufous Lane is parallel to and south of Gambel Lane in the Chapel area.
The Gambel Lane homeowner, who was remotely monitoring his security cameras, witnessed Sheafe rummaging through items in the garage. His appearance matched that of the suspect from the similar burglary the day prior on Rufous Lane.
Arrest by SPD
Sedona police initially issued a Nixle alert for the area at 7:58 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, warning that the suspect was in the area. At the time, the suspect was described as a white man, 6 feet 2 inches tall with short hair, blue shirt, black pants and possible neck tattoo — Sheafe has a tattoo reading “יהוה,” or “YHWH” in Hebrew characters, across his throat.
When Sedona officers arrived minutes later, Sheafe had fled, Dowell stated. Sedona police quickly established a perimeter and conducted a large-scale search effort and requested additional officers due to Sheafe’s prior history with law enforcement. SPD’s Quick Response Team, Verde Valley Regional SWAT Team, a Cottonwood Police Department drone operator and two CPD K-9 support units responded.
Sheafe was believed to be camping in the area and police located a campsite during the search. Around 9:20 p.m., Sheafe was located hiding in thick brush by members of the QRT, Dowell stated.
He again attempted to flee, leading officers and deputies on a lengthy foot pursuit through rugged terrain in the Coconino National Forest north and east of the residential area.
Sheafe was eventually tracked back into a residential area by drone, where Sedona officers — assisted by a Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputy — used a Taser to safely take him into custody.
Nightvision video with an infrared camera:
The same video shot with a visible light camera:
Sheafe faces multiple charges from these incidents, including second-degree burglary, unlawful flight from a pursuing law enforcement vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of an accident with an injury, criminal damage, theft or control of stolen property, first-degree trespassing, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest.
Sheafe was arraigned in Coconino County Superior Court on May 1 and indicted on May 8 and remains in custody at the Coconino County Detention Center in Flagstaff, where he is being held on a $150,000 bond.
