A former children's pastor was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison on 26th March 2025, after pleading guilty to attempting to murder his family in Kansas.

During his emotional hearing, Matthew Lee Richards, 43, expressed remorse and read Psalm 51, using King David's words as his prayer for forgiveness and recovery.

Richards had been charged with multiple counts of attempted murder and aggravated arson after a 2023 attack on his family, according to The Christian Post.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder.

The incident occurred on 16th September 2023, when authorities responded to a 911 call about a disturbance and house fire.

Richards’ wife and children suffered lacerations.

Investigations revealed the family was financially strained, facing foreclosure on their home, which had a $155,000 (£119,768) mortgage debt.

Richards’ sister testified that mental illness played a role in his actions, describing him as a good person who made a tragic mistake.

“This is not one where a bad guy did a bad thing… He’s a good guy that did a bad thing,” she said.

Meanwhile, Richards’ mother expressed her unwavering love for him during the hearing.

Richards asked for forgiveness from his family and the community, pledging to work on his recovery and help others heal from the harm he caused.