Man accused of crucifying pastor begs judge for death penalty

An Arizona man accused of crucifying a pastor and placing a crown of thorns on the victim’s head has requested the death penalty so everyone “can move on with our lives.”

Adam Sheafe, who is representing himself, asked the judge last week to allow him to enter a guilty plea, so the case can wrap up quickly, saying the legal system was “dragging this out,” according to Fox 10.

Sheafe, 51, is accused of murdering William Schonemann, the pastor of New River Bible Chapel, in April 2025 before mutilating the man’s body. Schonemann was found dead with his arms spread out in his bed and his hands pinned to a wall, authorities said.

The suspect previously confessed to the crime and has never claimed to be innocent.

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“From day one, I’ve said I did this. These are the reasons why I did this, and I’m not contesting anything,” he told the court on Thursday, according to Fox 10. “And my speedy trial rights went from five months to basically two and a half years. And we’re dragging this out in the interest of justice.”

“What about the victim’s families? What about me? What about my family? We want closure so we can move on with our lives,” he continued.

His request for the death penalty on Thursday echoes comments he made a year ago, when he said he wanted to be executed immediately.

“Put me on death row, set the execution date for right now,” Sheafe told 12News at the time. “The victims want it. The victim’s families want it. I want it, and the taxpayers want it.”

Sheafe told Fox 10 last year that the murder of Schonemann, 76, was part of a plot targeting more than a dozen Christian leaders across the country in a mission he called “Operation First Commandment.”

He has claimed that Schonemann and other Christian pastors were leading followers onto a false path. The defendant’s father, Chris Sheafe, told the Arizona Family that his son had become obsessed with the Bible and has a large tattoo of a Hebrew word for God on his neck.

“Adam became extremely interested in the Old Testament. He read it extensively. And part of that process became his interest. We weren’t excited when we’d learned that he’d done it, but to have the tattoo,” his father said. “It means God. It means he’s directly related to God. And he wanted people to know that was his allegiance.”

Sheafe, who says he is mentally sound, initially filed a petition to plead “no contest,” but the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office objected to that request. Sheafe then offered to plead guilty, but a judge said a future hearing must happen first to ensure his guilty plea is entered voluntarily.

ARIZONA PASTOR FOUND DEAD WITH HANDS PINNED TO WALL IN HOMICIDE AT HOME

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“It’s an undisputable fact that the victim, Pastor Bill Schonemann, was over 70 years old. It’s an undisputable fact that the crime was heinous in nature. I intended it to be heinous. So they’re two aggravating factors. And I have no mitigating factors. That’s why I’m saying, why do we have to drag this on and on and on? Why can’t we just go to sentencing? I’m not contesting anything,” Sheafe told the court on Thursday.

“Before I was even indicted, I gave a full confession to the FBI,” he continued, adding that he also admitted to the crime in interviews with multiple news outlets.

Hit-and-run suspect laughs in court after boy killed and another left fighting for life

A Florida woman accused of fleeing a crash that killed an 8-year-old boy was seen shaking her head and laughing during her first court appearance Friday as a judge read the charges against her via video conference.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said 30-year-old Victoria Johnson of Winter Haven was arrested Thursday and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury, tampering with evidence, driving without a license causing death and giving false information to law enforcement officials.

Johnson appeared before a judge Friday during a first appearance hearing held by video conference, where the charges were formally read.

During the hearing, Johnson shook her head and was seen laughing on video as the judge read the charges against her.

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After appearing to laugh in disbelief, Johnson was heard saying, “I wasn’t even in the car.”

She was then told not to speak about the facts of her case before the judge asked whether she wanted to return Saturday for a continuance after securing an attorney.

“I don’t know which one is better,” Johnson said.

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“I can’t give you any advice, ma’am,” the judge responded. “I’ll appoint the public defender today if you want me to.”

“Yes, please,” Johnson replied.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies received 911 calls from Faith Baptist Church in Winter Haven reporting two boys had been run over by a vehicle before the driver fled the scene.

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The boys were at a church event and attempting to cross Crystal Beach Road when they were struck by a northbound vehicle, investigators said. An 8-year-old boy died from his injuries, while a 10-year-old boy suffered a broken arm, broken femur and compound skull fracture and remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Witnesses described the vehicle as a dark-colored mid-sized SUV, and parts found at the crash scene were consistent with the lower portion of the vehicle.

Surveillance video from the area showed a truck traveling southbound and another vehicle heading north. Audio from the footage suggested something was struck by the second vehicle before it was seen turning east, authorities said.

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Investigators later learned Johnson had called authorities Thursday to report her dark blue 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe stolen. When deputies located her, she initially claimed the vehicle had been stolen the night before.

She later told deputies she had loaned the SUV to someone who did not return it before admitting she had been driving Wednesday night and that she “thought she might have hit someone.”

As deputies transported Johnson to a substation for questioning, they spotted the SUV being driven by Corey Stewart – the man she told investigators she had given the vehicle to “to get rid of.”

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Deputies followed the SUV to a nearby residence where Stewart and a passenger initially refused to come outside. A search of the vehicle revealed damage, missing parts and possible biological material consistent with a pedestrian strike.

Johnson allegedly told investigators she had been driving around near her home for about 20 minutes but could not recall the exact roads she traveled. The area she described was consistent with the crash location, about 2.8 miles from her residence.

She also told deputies she had been listening to music and driving to relax and acknowledged her license had been suspended following a DUI arrest. Johnson said she knew she was not supposed to be driving and believed she would likely face felony charges.

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Authorities said Johnson admitted using methamphetamine before driving that night and later met Stewart at a Circle K in Winter Haven, where he drove her SUV to a house where they used meth before going fishing at a nearby pond. Johnson later allowed him to keep the vehicle.

FOX 13 in Tampa reported that Johnson’s public defender had been appointed.

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“This was, in fact, a tragic, terrible accident, but upon my reading of the affidavit, it doesn’t really seem that anything she did to cause the accident,” her public defender said.

The judge ultimately set Johnson’s bond at $100,000. However, in a separate case she was held without bond for violating probation tied to a previous DUI case in January.

Iranian top official shares why he thinks President Trump started attacking his country

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi claimed on Sunday, on “Face the Nation,” that President Donald Trump launched attacks against Iran “because it is fun,” accusing the United States of starting what he called an “illegal war” during an interview with CBS host Margaret Brennan.

“We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes,” Aragchi said. “There are people being killed only because President Trump wants to have fun… they are sinking ships and targeting different places because it is fun.”

The comments came as the war between the United States and Iran continues to escalate, with the Trump administration signaling the conflict could continue longer than initially anticipated. 

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Trump told Fox News Radio that he will ultimately know when the conflict is nearing its end, saying he’ll recognize that moment “when I feel it in my bones.”

The White House did not respond for comment from Fox News Digital.

During the CBS interview, Brennan pressed the foreign minister about Iranian drone and missile attacks across the Gulf region and their impact on neighboring countries that host U.S. military forces.

Aragchi defended Iran’s actions, claiming Tehran is targeting only American military assets that host U.S. military forces.

“We are only targeting American assets, American installations, American military bases,” Aragchi said. “They are using their soil to attack us… they use the territory of UAE to attack us.”

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Brennan challenged him, noting reports that Iranian drones and missiles have struck civilian areas in neighboring countries. Aragchi denied that civilians were being targeted.

The foreign minister also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway by which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through. Aragchi said Iran has not formally closed the strait but acknowledged that some vessels have avoided the route because of security concerns tied to the conflict.

He also discussed Iran’s nuclear program, referencing roughly 440 kilograms of enriched uranium previously documented by international inspectors. He said the material is currently buried under rubble following strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“They are under rubble,” Aragchi said, “Of course, you know there is the possibility to retrieve them, but under the supervision of the agency.”

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The foreign minister also acknowledged that Tehran previously offered to dilute its stockpile.

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Team USA staves off Dominican Republic to reach World Baseball Classic final

Team USA is headed back to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, as they toppled the Dominican Republic, 2-1, in a thriller in Miami on Sunday night. 

The U.S., who fell to Japan in the WBC final in 2023, will look for redemption against either Venezuela or Italy, who play their semifinal matchup on Monday night.

The hype and hysteria coming into this contest between two world baseball powerhouses lived up to it all despite what the box score said. Both teams came in clutch during key moments, while matching the raucous energy of the crowd. 

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Of course, the Dominican Republic dugout and faithful went ballistic when Junior Caminero, the 22-year-old Tampa Bay Rays rising star, belted a hanging breaking ball from Skenes in the bottom of the second inning with two strikes. The ball was pelted to left field at over 400 feet, and their patented celebration ensued. 

The D.R. got the first strike off Skenes, who had been looking forward to this start against a lineup littered with some of the best baseball players in MLB. But two innings later, it was Team USA’s own young stars who turned the game around in their favor. 

Gunnar Henderson, who manager Mark DeRosa chose to play at third base, his secondary position as a shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles, over Alex Bregman, one of the best defensive players at the hot corner in MLB, due to how well he hit Luis Severino. The veteran right-hander was amped for his start for the D.R., and his emotion showed it. 

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However, DeRosa’s decision came down to how much success Henderson had against Severino. The decision paid off, as Henderson hit a moon shot over the right-center field fence to tie the game at one apiece. 

Severino was pulled after one more batter for Gregory Soto, who was facing Boston Red Sox phenom Roman Anthony, the 21-year-old who has had a great first appearance in the WBC. After running the count full, Anthony took advantage of a fastball right down the middle, launching it over the center field wall to take a 2-1 lead. 

The entire American dugout was on the field, as Anthony motioned across his chest, showing off his pride as he celebrated with teammates. 

It was just what Team USA needed in the top of the fourth inning, especially after having runners at second and third with one out in the previous frame and not being able to get runs across. Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber both struck out to end the inning, which fired up Severino who screamed toward Team USA’s dugout. 

But Judge clearly let that go from his head, as he had a crucial defensive play in the bottom of the third inning when he gunned down Fernando Tatis Jr. trying to go from first base to third. Tatis, who is a fast runner, was out by a mile, with Judge proving his elbow, which caused issues in 2025, is more than fine heading into the 2026 season. 

The Dominicans ultimately chased Skenes from the game after 4.1 innings, as his final line read six hits, one earned run on the Caminero homer and two strikeouts. Severino lasted 3.1 innings, giving up five hits while striking out six Team USA hitters in an impressive outing that saw triple-digit fastballs on the radar gun. 

The U.S. knew a 2-1 lead was not enough, but as the Dominican bullpen continued to stifle their bats, and Julio Rodriguez appeared to rob a home run from Judge, they needed their own relievers to come through. After Tyler Rogers and Griffin Jax did their jobs, David Bednar found himself in some trouble with runners on second and third with one out – the same situation Judge and Schwarber found themselves in – in the bottom of the seventh. 

But Bednar, who escaped a similar situation against Canada in the quarterfinals, struck out Tatis and Ketel Marte to get out of the jam and keep the score the same. 

Garrett Whitlock was solid in the eighth inning to keep the one-run lead alive, which led for the easiest decision for DeRosa on the night: Mason Miller to pitch the ninth. 

The San Diego Padres All-Star closer got a strikeout to start the inning, but things got interesting when he walked Rodriguez and Will Smith couldn’t handle a pitch from Miller that allowed a free pass to second base. 

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Oneil Cruz moved Rodriguez to third on a groundnut to Bobby Witt Jr., leaving Geraldo Perdomo as the D.R.’s last hope. He had a clutch at-bat earlier in the game, one that could’ve tied it up if Wells read the line drive to center field better from second base. 

But Miller got Perdomo looking on a 3-2 slider at the bottom of the zone to secure Team USA’s spot in the WBC final.

Spring break crackdown: Southern towns roll out alcohol bans and new restrictions

Certain popular spring break destinations are introducing stricter rules ahead of the busy travel season.

In Panama City Beach, Florida, officials have approved temporary overnight beach closures as part of the city’s spring break safety plan.

The closures will run from March 12 through April 30, with certain sections of the beach closed nightly between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., according to the Panama City Beach official website.

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The measure is intended to prevent large crowds from gathering late at night and to allow officers to patrol other areas during the peak tourism period, the website noted.

Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said the rules are meant to help maintain order while welcoming visitors to the popular Gulf Coast destination.

“Panama City Beach is a world-class destination, and our job is to ensure it remains safe for our residents and visitors alike,” Talamantez said on the city’s website.

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The city is also enforcing several additional ordinances during spring break, including a ban on alcohol on the beach throughout March and restrictions on alcohol sales between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m.

Violating the rules could result in fines, arrest or jail time, the city warned.

Gulf Shores, Alabama, is also enforcing seasonal restrictions as spring break visitors arrive.

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City officials have renewed a ban on alcohol on public beaches for the 2026 spring break season, television station WJHG reported.

The policy prohibits the possession or consumption of alcohol on public beaches from March 1 through April 28, according to the report.

Fox News Digital previously reported that Miami Beach is taking a different approach to spring break this year, easing some restrictions that had been implemented during the city’s earlier crackdown on large crowds.

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Christopher Bess, public information officer with the Miami Beach Police Department, said the city is working to shift the atmosphere away from the chaotic party scene that once defined the season.

“We are divorced with spring break,” Bess said. “The last two years, there were no fatalities, no shootings, no chaos.”

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Despite some restrictions being relaxed, Bess said officers will continue to monitor crowds closely and enforce city laws throughout the spring break period.

Costco customers fume as fan favorite’s replacement costs nearly double

Costco has finally answered calls to bring back its beloved churros — but shoppers aren’t exactly satisfied. 

Instead of bringing back the full-size pastry that once defined its food court, the Washington-based big-box retailer has unveiled a $2.99 Caramel Churro Sundae topped with tiny churro bites. 

The dessert features vanilla, chocolate or swirl soft-serve ice cream drizzled with salted caramel and topped with crunchy mini churro bites.

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Costco’s original churros, fried dough typically rolled in cinnamon sugar, were a food court staple for decades. They first appeared in the 1990s and sold for 99 cents, according to reports, but were later reformulated and repriced before being discontinued in early 2024.

Laura Jayne Lamb, who runs the Instagram account @costcohotfinds, shared a video of the new dessert this week, writing, “The Costco food court did it again!”

The reaction online, however, has been mixed.

A comment with nearly 5,000 likes on Lamb’s Instagram post read, “We don’t want bits of churros. We want the whole churros back!”

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“Bring back the churros!” one user wrote in a top comment on Reddit’s Costco forum in response to a post about the new item. 

Another user wrote, “This is such a slap in the face to give us ‘churro bites’ and no churros.”

One parent joked about the emotional toll of the menu change, writing, “One of my kids is 6 and every few months he just yells, ‘Why did they get rid of the churros!?’ It was like his first great betrayal of life.”

One person joked about a workaround: “Can I get a Caramel Churro Sundae, no caramel, no sundae, original recipe.… Thank you, here’s one dollar!”

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The new $2.99 sundae costs nearly double the price of the former $1.50 churro and far more than the original 99-cent version from decades past, fans noted. 

Other shoppers pointed out that Costco replaced churros with a $2.49 double chocolate chunk cookie in recent years, which also sparked debate.

For others, the concern wasn’t the price — it was the calories.

Wrote one commenter, “850 calories. I’m sure it’s tasty, but it’s also self harm.”

Another said, “If they didn’t show calories on the menu, I would get these all the time.”

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Despite the backlash, many customers say they’re excited about trying the new dessert.

“That looks fire!” one Instagram user wrote. 

Another commented, “OK, I need to try this IMMEDIATELY.”

Costco is known for rotating its food court sundaes seasonally. It’s unclear how long the Caramel Churro Sundae will remain available. 

The new churro sundae arrives on the heels of Costco’s Double Chocolate Mint Sundae — a mint-and-chocolate treat that briefly joined the food court rotation earlier this spring. 

Availability may vary by location, as Costco food court offerings can differ from store to store.

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The launch also comes amid an ongoing food court rivalry between Costco and Sam’s Club, with both warehouse chains rolling out caramel pastry-topped frozen desserts within a month of each other, fans noted.

In February, Sam’s Club Café rolled out the limited-time Caramel Palmier Sundae, featuring vanilla frozen yogurt, caramel sauce and crunchy Member’s Mark Cinnamon Palmiers for $1.58.

Fox News Digital reached out to Costco for comment.

Super Bowl winner walks away from NFL at 27 to pursue lithium battery business

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryce Huff announced Thursday he will retire from the league after six seasons. Huff is 27.

The 49ers acquired Huff in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. He was a key part of San Francisco’s defense in 2025, finishing tied for first in sacks with four. However, he failed to record a sack in his final 10 games in the regular season and playoffs.

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“I’m retiring from football. I started playing football when I was 4 years old,” he said in a video posted to his Instagram. “Growing up, I wasn’t the biggest or the strongest, and I didn’t have any friends. All I really had was the game, football kept me grounded.”

Huff joined the New York Jets in 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis. He played four seasons with the team, recording 65 tackles and 17.5 sacks.

He signed with the Eagles in 2024, playing 12 games for them and being a part of the Super Bowl-winning team.

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“I entered the NFL with a chip on my shoulder, and so I signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent,” Huff continued. “Thanks to coach Gregg Williams and Blake Williams, I earned a roster spot my first year. I spent countless hours learning everything I could about the game. When coach Saleh arrived my second year, he and his staff helped me become the best version of myself. My four years in New York will always mean a lot to me. That locker room built me. During that time, I earned a contract that made me the highest paid undrafted non-QB in NFL history. I spent a year in Philadelphia where we won a Super Bowl.

“I really evaluated what mattered in my life. That led me to San Francisco, where I was able to reset in a system I understood with a group of guys I respected. We battled through injuries, fought our way into the playoffs, and gave everything we had. Through all of it, I realized something. Football has been my entire life. I played ever since I was 4 years old. But at 27 years old, I know I’m capable of giving the world more than just football. The game taught me perseverance, it taught me discipline. It taught me how to lead and how to find a way for it, where things feel impossible.”

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Huff said he’s focusing on his lithium battery company whose goal is to suppress their fire risk.

Common vitamin could bring relief from long COVID symptoms, study suggests

Vitamin D supplements may offer researchers a new clue about lingering COVID symptoms that persist after infection, according to a new study.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham examined whether high doses of vitamin D could influence COVID-19 outcomes, including the risk of developing long COVID, a condition in which symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog continue weeks or months after the initial infection.

The findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition.

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The randomized clinical trial included 1,747 adults who had recently tested positive for COVID-19, along with 277 members of their households. Participants were assigned to receive either vitamin D3 supplements or a placebo for four weeks.

Dr. JoAnn Manson, senior author of the study and a physician at Mass General Brigham, told Fox News Digital that the results point to a possible benefit related to long-term symptoms.

“A key takeaway is that vitamin D supplementation looks promising for reducing the risk of developing long COVID but does not appear to affect the severity of the acute infection,” Manson said.

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Researchers found that vitamin D supplementation did not significantly change short-term outcomes such as symptom severity, hospital visits or emergency care.

The study also showed no difference between the vitamin D and placebo groups in the likelihood that household contacts would contract the virus.

However, when researchers analyzed participants who closely followed the supplement regimen, they observed a possible difference in lingering symptoms.

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About 21% of participants who took vitamin D reported at least one ongoing symptom eight weeks after infection, compared with 25% of those who received a placebo.

“There’s been tremendous interest in whether vitamin D supplements can be of benefit in COVID, and this is one of the largest and most rigorous randomized trials on the subject,” Manson said in the press release.

“While we didn’t find that high-dose vitamin D reduced COVID severity or hospitalizations, we observed a promising signal for long COVID that merits additional research,” she added.

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Manson said vitamin D may influence longer-term complications because the nutrient plays a role in regulating inflammation in the body.

Study limitations

The researchers noted several limitations in the trial. The study had to be conducted remotely during the pandemic, and participants began taking vitamin D several days after their COVID diagnosis.

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Ideally, Manson said, supplementation would begin before infection or immediately after diagnosis.

She added that larger studies will be needed to confirm whether vitamin D could reduce the risk or severity of long COVID symptoms.

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Researchers are planning additional trials to examine whether vitamin D supplementation may help treat people already experiencing long COVID.