Left inset: Richard Saettele (Lincoln County Sheriff's Office). Right inset: Michael Saettele (Facebook). Background: The Missouri property where Richard Saettele allegedly killed and buried his father, Michael Saettele, following an argument (KTVI/YouTube).
A Missouri man read his father his last rites and the Lord's Prayer after stabbing him in the eye with a screwdriver, then plunged a knife into his heart to "end the suffering," according to police.
Richard Saettele, 40, allegedly confessed to killing his father, Michael Saettele, at their home in Foley. He buried the 63-year-old in a shallow grave "under some construction debris" on the property, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Richard Saettele allegedly told someone on Friday night that he stabbed his father, "read the victim his last [rites]" and then buried him. That person called the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, and authorities went to the Saettele family home Saturday, Oct. 24.
"Detectives and cadaver detection canines responded," according to the affidavit. "The two-cadaver canine[s] both independently gave a positive indication in an attached lean-to-shed. Inside the shed was a pile of construction debris and a pile of fiberglass insulation. Human remains were located under the debris and insulation."
Richard Saettele was taken into custody and allegedly agreed to speak with police. He claimed that an "argument" broke out between him and his dad, which led to Michael Saettele throwing a "flat head" screwdriver at him, according to the affidavit.
"[Richard] Saettele stated he grabbed the screwdriver from the victim and stabbed him in the eye with it," the affidavit alleges. "Saettele stated the victim fell to the ground and stated, 'Ricky, this is not the way.' Saettele stated he attempted to remove the screwdriver from the victim's eye, however, it was 'stuck' and he was unable to remove it."
According to Richard Saettele, his father made "deeply moving statements" while "suffering" for about five minutes.
"[Richard Saettele] began praying the Lord's Prayer with him," the affidavit says. "[Richard] Saettele stated he could no longer watch the suffering so he entered the residence and knowingly obtained a cleaver kitchen knife he described to be two inches wide and approximately nine inches long with the intent to end the victim's life."
According to the affidavit, Richard Saettele read his father his last rites and then "proceeded to 'end the suffering' by stabbing him directly in the heart."
Richard Saettele told police the brown handle of the knife broke off the blade and he "believed the blade of the knife was still located inside the victim" when deputies found Michael Saettele's body, according to the affidavit.
"[Richard] Saettele stated he completed reading the 'last [rites]' after he stabbed him," according to police.
After determining the victim was no longer breathing, Richard Saettele allegedly dragged his father by the feet to the area where he buried him. He used a "military shovel" to dig a hole about a foot deep, placed Michael Saettele inside and covered his body with dirt, according to the affidavit.
Richard Saettele told police he considered burning the body but decided that would be "disrespectful" and he wanted to "provide a proper burial," the affidavit says.
"Approximately two or three days later, the victim began to smell foul and [Richard] Saettele could not bear the smell, so he covered the victim with multiple 'blankets' of insulation," according to the affidavit.
Asked why he had not called emergency services after stabbing the victim in the eye, Richard Saettele allegedly told police he "believed the best thing to do was end the suffering by stopping the victim's heart."
Richard Saettele claimed he could not remember the exact day of the killing, only that it was in the middle or latter part of September, police said. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault and two counts of armed criminal action.
Richard Saettele is being held at the Lincoln County Jail without bond.
Comments