The following story is gruesome and some of the details may be triggering or traumatic to readers. Discretion is advised.
A former children's church pastor in Kansas has just received his sentence from the courts after attempting to murder his wife and their children.
Matthew Lee Richards formerly worked as a children's pastor at Crossroads Christian Church in Shawnee, Kansas.
In the fall of 2023, after Richards owed over $150,000 on his mortgage according to state records, he took drastic and violent actions.
On the day of what would have been their eviction, Richards went around stabbing his wife and children in their beds in the middle of the night before setting their house on fire.
According to county documents, "Richards said memories of the incident came in flashes from there, but he remembered thinking that he was a monster and that he'd thought it would be better if they all died rather than waiting for his kids and wife having to deal with the trauma of finding out the truth [about the eviction]."
On Feb. 13, 2025, Richards pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder.
On Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2025, a judge sentenced Richards to 30 years in prison for attempted murder.
After being taken to the hospital, each family member of Richards, including his wife and their five children, all survived the attack.