Latest news with #Hermesch
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
New details released in shooting death of Kansas priest
SENECA (KSNT) – New information has come to light Friday in the case of a Kansas priest who was shot at his church rectory earlier this month. 27 News obtained court documents from the Nemaha County District Court revealing new details about the investigation into the deadly shooting of Father Arul Carasala in early April. Gary Hermesch, 66, of Tulsa, Oklahoma was arrested and later charged with first-degree murder following the shooting. Sheriff Richard Vernon with the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office said he was told a shooting had been reported at 2:50 p.m. on April 3 near the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church church located at 411 Pioneer Street and that a possible suspect may be at the sheriff's office. Vernon then went outside and encountered Hermesch outside the sheriff's office, according to court documents. Vernon reports Hermesch arrived at the sheriff's office near its north employee door. Four-year sentence issued to man involved in shooting death of 23-year-old in Topeka Hermesch approached Vernon and reportedly told him he needed to be arrested. A deputy asked Hermesch for a reason why he needed to be placed under arrest and Hermesch allegedly responded by saying he had just shot Carasala, according to court documents. Vernon then said Hermesch told him Carasala was in front of the parish. Vernon found Carasala laying on the ground in front of the rectory with blood coming from his head from an apparent gunshot wound, according to court documents. Carasala, who was still alive, was then rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment where he later died. Hermesch allegedly told deputies a firearm was inside of his vehicle. Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant to Hermesch's vehicle, finding a revolver with three spent rounds in it, according to court documents. A witness told investigators she saw a man shoot Carasala three times before driving away from the area. Why legalizing weed in Kansas isn't working For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
05-04-2025
- New York Times
Priest Is Fatally Shot Outside His Parish Rectory
A man fatally shot a Catholic priest outside his parish rectory in Kansas on Thursday in an attack with no known motive, the authorities said. The priest, Arul Carasala, 57, was found with gunshot wounds at around 3 p.m. by state troopers outside the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory in Seneca, Kan., according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The priest was brought to a hospital where he died from his injuries. Shortly after, the authorities arrested Gary L. Hermesch, 66, who was booked into Nemaha County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, the bureau said. It remained unclear what led to Mr. Hermesch's arrest. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. A motive was not immediately given for the shooting. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said the investigation was ongoing. 'This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend,' Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City said on Facebook. He added, 'Let us also pray for the perpetrator, that God may touch and transform his heart.' Seneca is a town of about 2,000 people in northern Kansas, near the border with Nebraska. The authorities said Mr. Hermesch is from Tulsa, Okla., which is about 300 miles south of Seneca. Raj 'Arul' Balaswamy Carasala was born in Cuddapah, India, a city in the country's southeast. According to an online biography, Father Carasala became the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul parish on July 15, 2011. He was ordained in the Diocese of Cuddapah and moved in 2004 to Kansas, where he served in four different parishes before settling in Seneca. Father Carasala became an American citizen on May 20, 2011, according to the biography. He maintained his ties to India, and believed that 'the church is home wherever he is.' Archbishop Naumann said Mass on Thursday evening in Father Carasala's honor, according to social media posts. 'While we continue to mourn the loss of Father Arul, I pray that we will not lose hope. God is with us in our adversity,' Archbishop Naumann said. 'He can bring good out of evil.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged in Seneca priest's death wrote about religion, more to local newspaper
SENECA (KSNT) – Gary Hermesch, the man charged for allegedly shooting and killing a Catholic priest in Seneca had previously shared his opinions in a local newspaper. From January 2021 to March 2024, Hermesch submitted entries to The Courier-Tribune, a newspaper covering Seneca and Nemaha County. The Courier-Tribune shared copies of six issues with 27 News, where Hermesch shared his thoughts on religion and a wide range of other topics in the 'Letter to the Editor' column. 'Let's not sweat the small stuff, though, maybe if we just follow Donald Trump's example we'll 'make the Church great again'. So why are things headed south like a runaway freight train? Simple. The faith is not being taught. Now is that equality and tolerance of other religions, or what?' Statement excerpt by Gary Hermesch from Aug. 4, 2021 Letter to the Editor, The Courier-Tribune Topeka council to consider $587M 5-year capital improvement plan While Hermesch writes about Catholicism and the Vatican in some letters, he does not mention Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Father Arul Carasala or the town of Seneca. On Friday, April 4, Hermesch, 66, appeared before a judge in court after being charged with first-degree murder by the Nemaha County District Attorney. He is accused of shooting and killing Father Carasala, 57, of Seneca on April 3. Man charged as adult in 2023 homicide in Topeka Law enforcement was called at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, April 3 to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory located at 411 Pioneer Street in Seneca on reports of gunshots, according to a report from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). Deputies with the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Seneca Police Department found Father Carasala outside the rectory suffering from gunshot wounds. First responders took Father Carasala to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries. However, he later died at the hospital despite attempts to save his life. Law enforcement later arrested Hermesch in connection to the shooting. He was taken to the Nemaha County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Tulsa man in custody in connection to murder of Seneca priest
NEMAHA COUNTY (KSNT) – An Oklahoma man is now in police custody after the fatal shooting of a Seneca Priest Thursday afternoon. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) announced in a news release Thursday, April 3 that 66-year-old Gary Hermesch, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is now in police custody after being connected to the shooting of Fr. Joseph F. Arul Carasala, of Seneca. According to the KBI, at 2:50 p.m. Thursday, 911 was called to reports of shots fired at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory in Seneca. Man charged as adult in 2023 homicide in Topeka Nemaha County Sheriff's deputies and officers with the Seneca Police Department arrived to find Carasala, 57, of Seneca suffering from gunshot wounds outside of the residence. The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) responded to help secure the scene. Deputies and local police took Hermesch into custody. Tonight, Hermesch was booked into the Nemaha County Jail on suspected first-degree murder. No formal charges have been made at this time, according to the KBI. For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
