Suspect in murder of New River pastor in custody elsewhere: MCSO
A suspect has been identified in the case of a New River pastor's murder, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
The victim, 76-year-old William Schonemann, was found dead inside his home on April 28.
Officials say the suspect is currently "in custody on unrelated charges in another jurisdiction."
PHOENIX - Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office say they have identified a suspect in connection with the murder of a pastor in the New River area.
What we know
In a statement, an MCSO spokesperson said the suspect they identified is currently "in custody on unrelated charges in another jurisdiction."
"Coordination between agencies is ongoing as we work to move the investigation forward," read a portion of the statement.
What we don't know
Officials with MCSO did not identify the suspect who is currently in custody, nor did they reveal the jurisdiction where the suspect is currently being held.
"We anticipate having more releasable details in the coming weeks, which we hope will provide additional clarity and progress in the case," read a portion of the statement.
The backstory
The victim in the case, identified as 76-year-old William Schonemann, was a pastor at New River Bible Chapel. He was found dead inside his home near 13th Avenue and Circle Mountain Road on April 28.
Authorities have been tight-lipped on the case, but they previously said there were "unique, specific circumstances" to the case.
The pastor's death left the community on edge.
"I mean, we locked our doors last night. It's just something that we are just not used to doing. Everybody is just, until we know what's going on, we don't know if it was a family member, or, we don't know what, who could do this to him," said Mike Anders in early May. Anders lived next to the pastor for 12 years.
What you can do
Anyone with information on this case should call the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office at 602-876-TIPS (8477).
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