Minister had concerns about Sheley's behavior

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By Steven Martens | Thursday, July 03, 2008 |

Brian Tribley (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

STERLING, Ill. — In church, Brian Tribley saw “the good side, the decent side” of Nicholas Sheley for nearly four years.

Sheley and his wife, Holly, attended services at Firehouse of God Ministries in Sterling.

The pastor also saw glimpses of Sheley’s darker side, including discussions with Sheley about his drug and alcohol use and run-ins with the law. But he said nothing he knew made him think Sheley was capable of the bloody spree of killings he is believed to have committed.

Sheley, 28, was arrested Tuesday night near St. Louis and is believed to be responsible for killing eight people in less than a week, including five people in the Sterling/Rock Falls area.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Sheley has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Russell Reed, 93, of rural Sterling and Ronald Randall, 65, of Galesburg. Reed was found beaten to death in the trunk of his car in Sterling on Thursday and Randall was found dead Monday behind a Galesburg grocery store, also beaten to death.

Sheley is considered a suspect in the deaths of Brock Branson, 29, Kenneth Ulve Jr., 25, Kilynna Blake, 20, and her 2-year-old son, Dayan, all of whom were found beaten to death Monday afternoon in a Rock Falls apartment. He also is a suspect in the deaths of Tom and Jill Estes of Sherwood, Ark., who were found beaten to death Monday behind a convenience store in Festus, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.

Whiteside County State’s Attorney Gary Spencer is scheduled to meet with other prosecutors involved in the case this morning in Galesburg to determine where Sheley would stand trial first, his office staff said Wednesday.

Tribley said Nick and Holly Sheley were dating when they started attending services at the church where he serves as pastor. After they had two children together, he encouraged them to get married because the church teaches that having children outside of wedlock is a sin.

They married May 10 at White Pines Forest State Park near Mount Morris. Tribley said he took the marriage as a sign Sheley was getting his life on the right track.

“I thought it was a good turning point for their relationship and for him,” Tribley said.

Sheley appeared to be an “average” husband and father, and his relationship with Holly had its ups and downs, Tribley said. Sheley earned money by doing roofing and concrete work for local contractors and on his own.

Assistant pastor Jerry Dittmer said Sheley played softball with church members, and that they tried to involve him in fellowship activities.

Tribley said Sheley struggled with drug and alcohol addictions for as long as he knew him. Tribley told Sheley he had concerns about what might happen if Sheley didn’t change his pattern of behavior, including his criminal problems, and that Sheley shared those concerns.

“He was aware of the path,” Tribley said.

Tribley said he had not spoken with Sheley for about two months when news broke about the killing spree. He and his congregation were shocked and saddened by the news, he said, and they have been praying for Sheley’s capture and for the victims and their families.

One of the tenants of Christianity is forgiveness, and Tribley said he hopes people can learn to forgive Sheley.

“Is it going to be easy? Of course not,” he said.

“He will be held accountable,” Tribley said. “Not only by the court system. He will be held accountable by God for what he has done.”

Tribley said he didn’t know how he would reach out to Sheley when he returns to Whiteside County in police custody.

“What the Lord tells me to do, I’ll do,” he said.

Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.