Kansas priest fatally shot in church rectory, parish says. Suspect in custody
A priest in Seneca, Kansas was fatally shot on church grounds Thursday afternoon, according to church leaders.
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas announced Thursday evening that Father Raj “Arul” Balaswamy Carasala of Saints Peter and Paul Parish died at a local hospital after he was shot earlier in the day.
Saints Peter and Paul Parish shared Thursday that the shooting took place at the rectory, a house managed by the parish where Carasala, 57, lived as the resident priest.
“We are in shock and disbelief,” Saints Peter and Paul Parish wrote on social media. “Please allow our parish community to process.”
Deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office responded to the rectory at 411 Pioneer Street around 2:55 p.m. and discovered Carasala outside the building with gunshot wounds, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation shared Thursday night.
Shortly after the shooting, KBI personnel and sheriff’s deputies arrested Gary L. Hermesch of Tulsa, Oklahoma, KBI shared Thursday. Hermesch, 66, was booked into the Nemaha County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, KBI said. However, he has not been formally charged.
Carasala grew up in Cuddapah, India, and was ordained there in 1994, according to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. He belonged to the archdiocese for more than 20 years and was the dean of the organization’s Nemaha-Marshall region, Archbishop Joseph Naumann shared on social media.
At the time of his death, Carasala had been a priest at Saints Peter and Paul for 14 years.
“His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care,” Naumann wrote Thursday. “His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him.”
The Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the shooting. A spokesperson said that the investigation is being handled by the Nemaha County District Attorney’s Office, which was also unavailable for comment Thursday.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, hosted a rosary prayer at Saints Peter and Paul in honor of Carasala Thursday evening. Archbishop Naumann traveled to the church Thursday evening to host a Mass in Carasala’s honor at the church.
Seneca is about two hours northwest of Kansas City.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Kansas priest fatally shot in church rectory, parish says. Suspect in custody."
