Nebraska Murder Case Reveals Stark Failures in Community and Security

The tragic killing of Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, a devoted Catholic priest in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, shines a harsh light on the vulnerabilities facing small-town America. Kierre Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and other charges following his brutal stabbing of the 65-year-old cleric in December 2023—an attack that shook this close-knit community to its core.Gutgsell’s death was not just a loss for his congregation; it exposed systemic shortcomings that undermine law-abiding citizens' safety and peace of mind. Despite Williams’ multiple felony convictions from other states, he was employed at a meatpacking plant across state lines in Iowa without apparent thorough...