A man from Missouri is facing serious charges after allegedly killing his father. Richard Saettele reportedly read his 63-year-old father, Michael, his last rites before stabbing him in the heart with a kitchen cleaver and then burying him behind their house.
The incident occurred during an argument at Michael’s home in Foley, Mo., back in September. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the confrontation escalated outside before Richard committed the act. Following the stabbing, he concealed his father’s body under some construction materials in a shed, as noted in a Probable Cause Statement.
Richard has now been charged with murder, domestic assault, and two counts of armed criminal action after the discovery of his father’s remains on October 24, 2026.
During the argument, it’s alleged that Michael grabbed a flathead screwdriver and threw it at Richard, who then retaliated by stabbing his father in the eye with the same tool.
It’s reported that Michael fell backward, and in his final moments, he pleaded with Richard, saying, “Ricky, this is not the way.” Richard claims he tried to remove the screwdriver but found it was stuck. In those five minutes that followed, he said his father made poignant statements and even recited the “Lord’s Prayer” with him.
Instead of calling for help, Richard thought it would be better to end Michael’s suffering. He went into the kitchen, retrieved a cleaver, and—according to him—went through with the act of stabbing. He reportedly broke the cleaver’s handle in the process, only continuing the last rites after the stabbing.
Once his father had ceased breathing, Richard dragged the body about 20 feet to a shallow grave he had dug with a military shovel.
Initially, he buried Michael under just dirt, but after a couple of days, Richard noticed a foul odor and decided to cover the body with insulation blankets.
Authorities found Michael’s body beneath construction debris and fiberglass insulation in a lean-to shed attached to the house. Richard was apprehended the same night.
Prosecutors are now questioning whether Michael could have survived the initial stabbing, as part of their case. The Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney mentioned that a medical examination will determine whether the screwdriver wound could have been fatal and considered if timely medical treatment could have changed the outcome.
Richard indicated that the killing occurred sometime in mid to late September but didn’t provide an exact date. He remains in custody at the Lincoln County Jail without bond and had his first court appearance on Tuesday, with the next hearing set for November 3.
