A 20-year-old Wichita, Kansas, man has been convicted of fatally shooting his pregnant girlfriend because he "thought she was gonna leave him," according to prosecutors.
Matthew Criscenzo, of Sedgwick County, shot his 20-year-old girlfriend Naomi Oglesby with a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun in May 2024 after she "grabbed" his "PS5 controller" and told him she was leaving, according to Criscenzo's arrest affidavit. He was convicted Monday of premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping and aggravated battery.
Criscenzo: 'I Didn't Want Her to Go and Thought She was Going to Leave Me'
During his interrogation and detention by authorities, Criscenzo allegedly made statements such as, "I can't believe I shot her," "she loved me and I killed her," and "I just didn't want her to go and thought she was going to leave me."
"I got all of her s— ready for her," he said "And then ... she walked out and all her stuff was right there, all of her clothes and everything. And I told her to stop," Criscenzo allegedly recalled. "And then, and then I pointed my gun at her and she swatted it and it went off."
"This is not real," Criscenzo continued. "I forced her to go and then I changed my mind and shot her on accident and she pushed the gun away. Why did I do that though? Why did I even have my finger on the trigger? I know finger discipline," according to the affidavit.
Criscenzo pleaded not guilty to the charges related to the fatal shooting, which occurred at his father's home in the 700 block of South Laura Avenue. His father allegedly heard the incident unfold and found Oglesby suffering from a gunshot wound to her head and Criscenzo standing over her with a gun in his hand, prompting him to call cops.
Oglesby was 37 Weeks Pregnant, Medical Staff Performed Emergency C-Section to Save the Baby
Oglesby was 37 weeks pregnant at the time and medical staff delivered her baby via emergency C-section; the child survived but testing showed the newborn suffered severe brain trauma due to a lack of oxygen. Oglesby was pronounced dead two minutes after the baby was delivered, the affidavit says.
When officers arrived on scene, Criscenzo allegedly made several "spontaneous" statements such as, "She loved me and I killed her." The comments continued while Criscenzo was being transported to a local police station, his affidavit says.
"I can't believe I shot her," Criscenzo said while in a patrol car. "I can't believe I pulled the trigger. She wanted to leave, I should have let her leave." In the interview
Criscenzo's Lawyers Argued that Their Client Did not Intend to Kill Oglesby
Criscenzo's lawyer tried arguing in court filings that his statements were "a vital part of his guilt-based defense" because they showed "acceptance of responsibility" and were "contemporaneous with his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement."
They told the court that while prosecutors claimed Criscenzo "not only had an intent to shoot but an intent to kill and premeditation," case law shows that even if the state is correct that he had an intent to shoot, that intent does not equate to an intent to kill or premeditation.
"Intent to shoot in a reckless manner is not intent to kill," Criscenzo's defense team said. "Intent to shoot ... does not automatically mean ... intended to kill. ... Even an intentional blow can result in an unintentional but reckless killing."
Police investigators located a spent .40 caliber cartridge casing in the living room of Criscenzo's father's home, two "live" .40 caliber rounds, an extended firearm magazine on the couch, and three gun cases in Criscenzo's bedroom. Criscenzo claimed he was "drunk" at the time of the incident and that he thought he only "grazed" Oglesby, the affidavit alleged.
Criscenzo was 'Violent and Controlling' with Oglesby
The victim's friends and relatives told investigators the man was "violent and controlling" with him even threatening to kill her a week before the murder, according to court documents.
A friend of the victim's told cops that she witnessed a domestic assault unfold between the couple about a week before the shooting, during which Criscenzo was allegedly drunk and high and assaulted Oglesby.
Criscenzo's sentencing date has not been listed in the court file yet.
Wichita Man Guilty of Killing Pregnant Girlfriend After She Grabbed His PS5 Controller, Told Him She was Leaving
A 20-year-old Wichita, Kansas, man has been convicted of fatally shooting his pregnant girlfriend because he "thought she was gonna leave him," according to prosecutors.
Matthew Criscenzo, of Sedgwick County, shot his 20-year-old girlfriend Naomi Oglesby with a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun in May 2024 after she "grabbed" his "PS5 controller" and told him she was leaving according to Criscenzo's arrest affidavit. He was convicted Monday of premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping and aggravated battery.
Criscenzo: 'I Didn't Want Her to Go and Thought She was Going to Leave Me'
During his interrogation and detention by authorities, Criscenzo allegedly made statements such as, "I can't believe I shot her," "she loved me and I killed her," and "I just didn't want her to go and thought she was going to leave me."
"I got all of her s— ready for her," he said "And then … she walked out and all her stuff was right there, all of her clothes and everything. And I told her to stop," Criscenzo allegedly recalled. "And then, and then I pointed my gun at her and she swatted it and it went off."
"This is not real," Criscenzo continued. "I forced her to go and then I changed my mind and shot her on accident and she pushed the gun away. Why did I do that though? Why did I even have my finger on the trigger? I know finger discipline," according to the affidavit.
Criscenzo pleaded not guilty to the charges related to the fatal shooting, which occurred at his father's home in the 700 block of South Laura Avenue. His father allegedly heard the incident unfold and found Oglesby suffering from a gunshot wound to her head and Criscenzo standing over her with a gun in his hand, prompting him to call cops.
Oglesby was 37 Weeks Pregnant, Medical Staff Performed an Emergency C-Section to Save the Baby but Newborn Suffered Brain Trauma Due to Lack of Oxygen
Oglesby was 37 weeks pregnant at the time and medical staff delivered her baby via emergency C-section; the child survived but testing showed the newborn suffered severe brain trauma due to a lack of oxygen. Oglesby was pronounced dead two minutes after the baby was delivered, the affidavit says.
When officers arrived on scene, Criscenzo allegedly made several "spontaneous" statements such as, "She loved me and I killed her." The comments continued while Criscenzo was being transported to a local police station, his affidavit says.
"I can't believe I shot her," Criscenzo said while in a patrol car. "I can't believe I pulled the trigger. She wanted to leave, I should have let her leave." In the interview
Criscenzo's Lawyers Argued that Their Client Did not Intend to Kill Oglesby
Criscenzo's lawyer tried arguing in court filings that his statements were "a vital part of his guilt-based defense" because they showed "acceptance of responsibility" and were "contemporaneous with his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement."
They told the court that while prosecutors claimed Criscenzo "not only had an intent to shoot but an intent to kill and premeditation," case law shows that even if the state is correct that he had an intent to shoot, that intent does not equate to an intent to kill or premeditation.
"Intent to shoot in a reckless manner is not intent to kill," Criscenzo's defense team said. "Intent to shoot … does not automatically mean … intended to kill. … Even an intentional blow can result in an unintentional but reckless killing."
Police investigators located a spent .40 caliber cartridge casing in the living room of Criscenzo's father's home, two "live" .40 caliber rounds, an extended firearm magazine on the couch, and three gun cases in Criscenzo's bedroom.
Criscenzo claimed he was "drunk" at the time of the incident and that he thought he only "grazed" Oglesby, the affidavit alleged.
Criscenzo was 'Violent and Controlling' with Oglesby
The victim's friends and relatives told investigators the man was "violent and controlling" with him even threatening to kill her a week before the murder, according to court documents.
A friend of the victim's told cops that she witnessed a domestic assault unfold between the couple about a week before the shooting, during which Criscenzo was allegedly drunk and high and assaulted Oglesby.
Criscenzo's sentencing date has not been listed in the court file yet.
