Gary Hermesch, a 66-year-old Oklahoma man, has been charged with the first-degree murder of Father Arul Sarasala, 57, who was shot and killed outside the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, Kansas, last week.
Hermesch, a staunch Trump supporter, had previously written letters to his local newspaper, The Courier-Tribune, expressing his views on the state of the Catholic Church and his admiration for former President Donald Trump.
In one letter, Hermesch wrote, “Let’s not sweat the small stuff, though, maybe if we just follow Donald Trump’s example we’ll ‘make the Church great again.’” He blamed the decline of the Church on a lack of proper teaching, adding, “The faith is not being taught.”
In another letter, published on January 20, 2021, the day Joe Biden was inaugurated as President, Hermesch criticized Biden, calling him a “capitulating weak puppy” and denouncing what he described as a “strange new version of ‘Catholicism.’”
Hermesch also called the Vatican “fake” and claimed it had been infiltrated. At least six of his letters were sent between January 2021 and March 2024, though none mentioned Father Sarasala or the church directly, according to Law & Crime.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported that police were called to the church around 3 p.m. last Thursday, where they found Father Sarasala outside with gunshot wounds. He had been shot three times. Despite efforts to save him, the priest was pronounced dead after being transported to Nemaha Valley Community Hospital.
Father Sarasala had been the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul since 2011. Born in India, he was ordained in 1994 and had recently become a U.S. citizen. His death has left the local community in shock and mourning.
“This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
Community members expressed their grief online. One person wrote, “Heartbreaking,” while another said, “I am in shock and so saddened by this tragedy.”
Hermesch is currently being held at Nemaha County Jail on a $1 million bond, awaiting trial.
