Richards told police that he had planned to burn down the house on the day he was set to be evicted. He admitted to thinking “it would be better if they all died” than his family “find out the truth.”
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“I stabbed my family…I stabbed my kids, detective. I stabbed my wife,” Richards said during the interview. He also referred to himself as a “monster.”
Evidence examined by investigators includes blood stains that indicated the family had been stabbed in “multiple locations throughout the house.”
Despite their impending eviction, the family was reportedly unaware that their home had been foreclosed upon, and they had not packed any of their belongings.
Kurt Witten, pastor of Crossroads Christian Church, told KMBC that if he had known that Richards and his family were in such dire financial straits, he would have attempted to help.
“We were totally caught off guard and shocked by what happened,” he said.
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Richards has been assigned a public defender. He remains in custody on a $5 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 29, at 11 a.m.
