Matthew Lee Richards, 42, a former youth pastor at Crossroads Christian Church, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of attempted first-degree murder after admitting to stabbing his wife and four children in an act tied to an imminent eviction due to overwhelming debt. Richards remains in Johnson County Jail and is scheduled for sentencing on March 26.

According to the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, several 911 calls were received just before 4 a.m. on September 16, 2023, reporting a house fire and a stabbing in a Shawnee residence, a suburb of Kansas City. One caller described hearing a fire alarm and a distressing account of a father chasing his children with a knife, while another reported a stabbing.

Officers arriving at the scene discovered three victims with stab wounds outside the blazing home. Investigators reported that smoke was billowing from the residence and that an explosion had blown out the garage doors. The affidavit detailed that Richards’ wife, four sons (including one 19-year-old, with the remaining minors), and daughter were all stabbed, with his wife and two children sustaining serious injuries.

One of the children later told officers that the family had been asleep when Richards began his attack, with one minor stating, “dad has a knife.” Once apprehended and treated for smoke inhalation, Richards reportedly confessed during an interview, saying, “I stabbed my family.”

Detectives later revealed that Richards had not been honest with his wife about their dire financial situation. Facing eviction that very day, the family had not been prepared, prompting Richards to hatch a plan that involved setting the house on fire as a cover for his attack. He admitted that after igniting the fire in the basement, he armed himself with a knife and began stabbing his family. Though Richards claimed limited recollection of stabbing the children, investigators noted his acknowledgment of the violence inflicted upon them, including detailed injuries such as a horizontal slash across a son’s neck and a laceration that exposed internal organs.

Neighbors recounted the chaos unfolding that night. “It’s sad, knowing that we’ve seen those kids out playing in their driveway, with their family,” said one local resident, adding that the normally quiet neighborhood was soon overrun with fire crews and police.

Richards, who had served as a youth pastor since 2016 and was known for his warm, engaging style with children, had also been a seventh-grade English teacher at Christ Prep Academy. His online biographies, once celebrating his love for teaching and his family’s shared passions for God, people, and sports, have since been removed.

In response to the tragedy, Crossroads Christian Church’s senior pastor Kurt Witten expressed deep shock and sorrow via Facebook, calling the events “a tragedy beyond what any of us could have imagined” and urging respect for the family’s privacy as they navigate their long recovery. The church has also set up a fund to assist with medical and living expenses.
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