OLNEY, Ill. — An Illinois man has been arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder after he allegedly kidnapped and killed an eight-year-old girl who had been waiting outside for the church bus.

Glen Ramey, 53, has been charged with first-degree murder and predatory sexual assault after the body of Sabrina Stauffenberg was found behind a vinegar plant last Wednesday—the day before Thanksgiving.

According to reports, the Stauffenberg’s church, Calvary Baptist Church, had distributed a flier that the regular Wednesday night Bible study would be moved to Tuesday due to the holiday. But the girl and her family didn’t realize that the study had been moved, and Stauffenberg waited outside Wednesday night for the church bus to pick her up as usual.

When the bus didn’t come, she called her grandmother, who in turn called the church. But when Stauffenberg’s grandmother tried to call the girl back, she didn’t answer her phone.

It is believed that Ramey, who had formerly dated one of Stauffenberg’s relatives, lured the girl off her porch and then kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and suffocated her to death. Her body was discovered after authorities were able to track her cell phone.

“At first, I was shocked, and then I [wept],” Stauffenberg’s pastor, Chris Jennette, told People Magazine. “We kind of went from disbelief that it was her to quite possibly—to be truthful—anger toward the villain and we started questioning why he would do something like this to this little girl.”

He said that it has been difficult to read the reports of what happened to the child.

“She was always full of smiles, because she was always discovering life and enjoying it,” Jennette recalled. “She loved candy, but she also loved our church and she loved those here and it was mutual. Our church loved her. She was the sweetheart of our church. No one ever dreamed anything like this would happen. We are all shocked, but we have the Gospel and we have hope beyond the grave, and we know no one is ever going to hurt her again.”

Family and friends gathered to remember Stauffenberg on Friday. More than 40 bikers participated in the procession from Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home to Oak Hill Cemetery.

Ramey, who suffers from mental illness, has not yet entered a plea. He is being held in Richland County Jail on $10 million dollars bail. Ramey has had several protection orders filed against him by female acquaintences.

“We’re just glad they caught the real killer, and now this family can mourn the loss of this beautiful child,” neighbor and friend Denise Haley told the Belleville News-Democrat. “We also want to thank all law enforcement involved.”

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