53-year-old Thomas Bruce is facing charges, Wednesday, for killing one woman and sexually assaulting two others after he locked them at the back room of a suburban St. Louis religious supplies shop where he performed his horrific crimes under gunpoint blackmailing.
Bruce was charged with 17 criminal counts including first-degree murder, three counts of sodomy and three counts of kidnapping, CBS affiliate KMOV-TV reports. Other charges include first-degree burglary, tampering with evidence and armed criminal action. He is jailed without bond, and it wasn't clear if he had an attorney yet.
according to a Missouri pastor Bruce used to work as a pastor at Calvary Chapel of Cape Girardeau from about 2003 into 2007.
one of bruce's victims was 53-year-old Jamie Schmidt who was a married mother of three who worked as a secretarial assistant at St. Louis Community College's campus in Wildwood, Missouri.
bruce allegedly shot Schmidt at the head when she refused to "perform deviant sexual acts." she was taken to a hospital where she died later due to her gunshot wound.
