Who is Gary Hermesch? Accused priest killer wrote Trump letter to paper

Gary Hermesch, the man who has been charged with shooting and killing a Kansas priest, wrote a letter to a local paper praising Donald Trump in 2021.

Hermesch turned himself in over the death of Father Raj “Arul” Carasala of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, Kansas, on April 3.

As reported by KSNT, he had written several Letters to the Editor for The Courier-Tribune newspaper, over the years.

One of them stated: “Let’s not sweat the small stuff, though, maybe if we just follow Donald Trump’s example we’ll ‘make the Church great again’.”

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been contacted via email.

Why It Matters

Hermesch, 66, had no previous criminal record before being charged with first-degree murder over the death of Father Carasala, according to KSNT.

His Trump comment is one of many statements made in letters to The Courier-Tribune about his feelings on religion in America, and may be used by the prosecution to shed some light onto his alleged motivations in court. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

What To Know

On April 3, first responders were called to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory at 2:50 pm, following a report of gunshots. They arrived at 2:55 pm and found Father Carasala suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital but died from his injuries.

According to reporting from the Kansas City Star, witnesses saw Hermesch leave the scene and walk to the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office. His brother works there as a dispatcher.

Father Carasala was ordained in India in 1994. He moved to Kansas in 2004 following an invitation from Archbishop James P. Keleher. He served in several parishes in the state, before becoming the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Church in 2011, shortly after becoming an American citizen.

His biography on the Saints Peter and Paul church site states: “Father Arul feels the priesthood, indeed, the church, is universal and the church is home wherever he is.”

“I am heartbroken to share the tragic news of the death of Fr. Arul Carasala, who was fatally shot earlier today. This senseless act of violence has left us grieving the loss of a beloved priest, leader, and friend,” Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph F. Naumann wrote in a Facebook post.

Following Hermesch’s arrest, The Courier-Tribune uncovered a trove of Letters to the Editor by Hermesch—who is originally from Seneca but was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma—where he expressed his opinions on religion, and especially on Catholicism, between 2021 and 2024.

He never mentioned Father Carasala or the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in his letters. However, all of his letters discussed his opinions on, and frustrations with, modern Catholicism.

His letters are lengthy, but touch on how he thinks we are living in a “strange new version” of Catholicism, that the Vatican is currently “fake” and “diabolical,” that the Vatican has also become victim to “infiltration/subversion,” that “the faith is not being taught,” and that there is a “problem with the fake Catholic Church.”

Father Carasala’s funeral mass can be viewed on YouTube. So far it has been seen by 7,923 people. Footage from the video shows that his church was packed with mourners.

What People Are Saying

Gary Hermesch wrote in a letter to The Courier-Tribune, on August 4, 2021: “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?”

Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann said on Facebook: “Father Arul was a friend to me and a great priest. I shared in my homily that being a priest today requires heroic love. That quality was evident in Father Arul, who left India to come to the heartland of America and serve the people of the Catholic Church in northeast Kansas.

“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. He can bring good out of evil. He can bring life out of death. Let us draw closer to Jesus during this time of sorrow and ask him to console our hearts.

“My prayers are with everyone who loved Father Arul.”

What Happens Next

Hermesch is currently in custody at Nemaha County Jail, and his bond is set at $1 million. Kansas is a state with the death penalty for murder, however, nobody has been executed in Kansas since 1976.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has said: “All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.”