A trusted pastor. A small Pennsylvania church. And a string of tragedies.
When a man named Joseph Mesante walked into a church office in Reeders, Pennsylvania and ended his life, the story seemed heartbreakingly simple: a husband devastated by the discovery of his wife’s affair with their pastor, Arthur “A.B.” Schirmer.
But Joseph's suicide was the unfortunate catalyst to a horror story.
As investigators began looking more closely at the pastor’s life, disturbing questions surfaced about another tragedy just months earlier—the death of Schirmer’s wife in what had been ruled a car accident. Then detectives uncovered an even older case: the mysterious death of Schirmer’s first wife years before.
What initially appeared to be unrelated tragedies started forming a chilling pattern.
In this episode, we unpack the case of Arthur Schirmer, a minister who spent decades guiding people through their darkest moments—while hiding secrets that would eventually lead to a murder conviction and a life sentence.
Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or the impact of betrayal trauma, help is available.
Suicide & Crisis Support
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 (U.S.)
• 988lifeline.org – Chat and resources for immediate support
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor
Betrayal Trauma & Relationship Support
• APSATS (Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists)
https://www.apsats.org
• Bloom for Women – Educational resources and support for betrayal trauma
https://bloomforwomen.com
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
https://www.rainn.org
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE
Mental Health Support
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
https://www.nami.org
HelpLine: 800-950-NAMI
