Missouri Man Charged After Allegedly Reading Father His Last Rites, Then Stabbing Him to Death
Richard Saettele is accused of killing his father during an argument and burying him in a shallow grave.
A Missouri man has been charged with murder after allegedly reading his father his last rites before fatally stabbing him and burying him in a shallow grave behind the home.
Richard Saettele is accused of killing his 63-year-old father, Michael, during an argument at the elder Saettele's home in Foley, Mo., in September. The confrontation escalated outside the house, leading to the fatal stabbing and the subsequent concealment of the body under construction debris in a shed.
Saettele faces charges of murder, domestic assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. His arrest followed the discovery of his father's remains on October 24, 2026.
According to a Probable Cause Statement filed by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the argument began when the elder Saettele allegedly threw a flathead screwdriver at his son. Richard Saettele then reportedly grabbed the tool and stabbed his father in the eye. Police documents state that Michael Saettele fell backward and told his son, “Ricky, this is not the way.”
Saettele told investigators that he tried to remove the screwdriver, but it was stuck. He also stated that during the approximately five minutes his father suffered, the elder Saettele made “deeply moving statements” and recited the “Lord’s Prayer” with his son.
Instead of calling for medical assistance, Saettele claimed he decided to end his father's suffering by retrieving a kitchen cleaver and stabbing his father in the heart. He admitted to intentionally using the 9-inch blade to kill his father.
After the stabbing, Saettele reportedly dragged his father's body about 20 feet and placed it in a one-foot-deep hole he had dug with a military shovel. He initially covered the body with dirt, but later added multiple layers of insulation when a foul odor developed.
Michael Saettele’s body was found under construction debris and fiberglass insulation in the dirt floor of a shed attached to the home. Police arrested Richard Saettele the same night.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Michael Saettele could have survived the initial screwdriver wound if he had received timely medical attention. Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood stated that the medical examiner would determine if the wound itself was fatal.
Saettele told police the killing occurred in mid to late September, but did not provide a specific date. He is currently being held at the Lincoln County Jail without bond. His first court appearance was on Tuesday, with the next hearing scheduled for November 3.