Youth pastor 'tries to stab wife & 5 kids to death & burn home fearing eviction'

29 September 2023 , 11:39

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Richards and his family were due to be evicted from their home, he claimed (Image: Johnson County Jail)

A youth pastor allegedly tried to stab his wife and five children to death and set his home on fire - because he was afraid of being evicted.

Matthew Richards, 41, has been charged with five counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder and one count of aggravated arson with risk of bodily harm following an incident on September 16. Richards’ wife, 19-year-old offspring and four juvenile offspring were all attacked, sustaining "laceration injuries of varying degrees”.

According to an affidavit, the pastor told Shawnee police: “I stabbed my kids, detective, I stabbed my wife”, and called himself a “monster”. After finding out the family were in financial difficulties, Richards told police “it would be better if [his family] all died” rather than “find out the truth” about their money situation. Richards, of Kansas, said his family were due to be evicted on the same day that he allegedly tried to murder his family members. He had not spoken honestly with his wife, who he had been with since 2003, about their financial problems, the affidavit filed in Johnson County said.

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Richards allegedly said it would be "better if they all died" (FOX 4 Kansas City)

Two children had injuries to their internal organs and Richards’ wife was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, after Shawnee officers and firefighters received reports of disturbance and fire at the pastor’s home at 3.47am. One of Richards’ children called 911 after seeing the pastor stab his wife, the affidavit says - before he was chased down by Richards holding the knife. This was followed by another call from a female saying she had been stabbed, Fox News reported.

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“My dad just decided to pull out a knife,” one of the children told police according to the affidavit, which also reads: "Officer spoke to a [redacted]-year-old child, [redacted], with a wound to the neck who stated they were all in bed when their dad came around stabbing everyone and they all ran outside.”

First responders arrived on the scene at 3:47am (FOX 4 Kansas City)

Evidence suggests the victims were stabbed throughout the house, before the five victims along with Richards were transported to the hospital for treatment. A blaze which had been allegedly set in the basement was “quickly extinguished”. Crossroads Church Pastor Kurt Witten said to FOX 4 Kansas City: "Our church family is shocked, we're sickened, we're saddened by the events of early Saturday morning involving our former children’s pastor.”

Richards allegedly also tried to burn the house down (Google Street View)

Richards’ biography on the Crossroads Christian Church website says that he and his family have three rules: “1. Love God, 2. Love People, 3. Love Sports (especially the Jayhawks and Sporting KC).” It described Richards as a “big kid who loves teaching little kids about Jesus”.

The church is now collecting donations for Richards’ wife and children. Richards did not enter a plea when he appeared in court and is currently being held on a $5 million bond.

Alex Croft