A former children’s pastor in Kansas pleaded guilty this week to two counts of attempted murder after trying to kill his family and set their house on fire, rather than confessing that he had ruined their finances and they were facing eviction.
Initially, Matthew Lee Richards faced charges of five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated arson with a risk of bodily harm in relation to the September 16, 2023, incident, according to CrimeOnline.
Richards’ victims were his wife, a then-19-year-old son, and four juvenile children.
Reports from KMBC reveal that Richards confessed to the police that he had devised the plan to harm his family and burn down the house, rather than informing them about the impending eviction due to his financial mismanagement. He admitted that his wife and children were completely unaware of the severity of the situation.
A probable cause affidavit said they received several 911 calls that day. One child called to say their father was chasing them with a knife; another said she had been stabbed.
Shawnee Police found three victims with stab wounds outside the house and smoke coming from inside. Richards’ wife and two children were rushed to a hospital in critical condition. Two other juveniles and the adult child were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
One of the children told investigators everyone was in ped “when dad came around stabbing everyone.”
Richards was apparently fired from his job at the Crossroads Christian Church, which said it was “shocked, sickened, and saddened” by the incident.
His sentencing is set for March 26.
