SENECA (KSNT) - Authorities have filed an official charge against an Oklahoma man Friday for allegedly shooting and killing a Catholic priest in Seneca earlier this week. Court records with the District Court of Nemaha County show Gary L. Hermesch, 66, of Oklahoma was charged with murder in the f irst degree on April 4. He is accused of shooting Father Arul Carasala, 57, of Seneca on Thursday, April 3. Law enforcement was called at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, April 3 to the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory located at 411 Pioneer Street in Seneca on reports of gunshots, according to a report from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). Deputies with the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Seneca Police Department found Father Arul Carasala, 57, of Seneca outside the rectory suffering from gunshot wounds. Dana Chandler sentencing date set in Topeka after guilty verdict in double-murder trial First responders took Father Carasala to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries. However, he later died at the hospital despite attempts to save his life. "Fr. Carasala was a devoted priest who faithfully served our archdiocese for more than 20 years, most recently as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish and dean of the Nemaha-Marshall deanery. He was ordained in 1994 in his home Diocese of Cuddapah, India. We ask for prayers for his family, parishioners, and all who are grieving this great loss." Marissa Easter, director of communications with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas press release excerpt on April 3 (Photo By: Robert Hughes)(Photo By: Robert Hughes)Father Arul Carasala. Law enforcement later arrested Hermesch in connection to the shooting. He was taken to the Nemaha County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. 24-year-old gets nearly 40 years in prison for Topeka kidnapping, deadly shooting Gary L. Hermesch's mugshot. The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas held a rosary and then a mass on April 3 in memory of Father Carasala at his church. Archbishop Joseph Naumann issued a statement following these services on April 4. "Dear friends, it was an honor to be with so many of you during Mass last night at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca, where Father Arul Carasala served as pastor. We prayed in confidence that Father Arul, who loved Jesus and followed him so zealously in this world, is with our Lord now. 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." Archbishop Joseph Naumann social media statement excerpt Two arrested on attempted murder charges in Manhattan For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf ...read more read less