Matthew Lee Richards of Shawnee, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder. The former children’s pastor was accused of attacking his wife and children with a knife before setting his home on fire.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2023. At the time, Richards was a pastor on the staff of Crossroads Christian Church.
The victims included Richards’ wife and five children, four of whom were minors. His eldest child was 19 years old at the time.
On the night of the crime, police received a 911 call about a house fire. A child also called 911 saying that their father was chasing them with a knife, and another caller told police she had been stabbed.
When police and other emergency personnel arrived on the scene, they discovered three victims with stab wounds waiting outside for help, and smoke could be seen coming from inside the house.
Firefighters soon extinguished the fire. Richards’ wife and two of his children were rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. His adult child and two other children were treated for minor injuries.
Richards himself was treated for smoke inhalation before being taken into custody for questioning.
During questioning, Richards admitted to setting his home on fire and attempting to murder his family. He told investigators that his home was in foreclosure and that his family was unaware of their dire financial situation. He concluded that it would be better for the family to die than to “find out the truth.”
“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.”
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Richards was charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder with premeditation and one count of aggravated arson with the risk of bodily harm.
