Matthew Criscenzo, a 20-year-old from Sedgwick County, Kansas, was convicted on February 2, 2026, of premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and aggravated battery in the fatal shooting of his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Naomi Oglesby.
Incident Details
The shooting occurred on May 25, 2024, at Criscenzo’s father’s home in Wichita’s 700 block of South Laura Avenue. Oglesby, 37 weeks pregnant, reportedly grabbed Criscenzo’s PS5 controller to tell him she was leaving, prompting him to pack her belongings, point a Glock 22 .40-caliber handgun at her, and fire a shot to her head after she allegedly swatted it away. His father, baking a cheesecake nearby, heard the gunshot, saw Criscenzo standing over her with the gun, took the weapon, and called 911.
Investigation and Statements
Criscenzo made repeated spontaneous admissions to police, including “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 gonna leave me.” While alone in an interview room, he muttered about preparing her things, telling her to stop, and the gun going off, later claiming he was drunk and thought he only grazed her. Friends reported prior violence: a week earlier, he allegedly bit her hand, pulled a gun, and threatened to “f—ing kill her.”
Aftermath
Oglesby was rushed to the hospital, where an emergency C-section delivered her baby boy, who survived but suffered severe brain trauma from oxygen deprivation; she died two minutes later. Police recovered a spent .40-caliber casing, live rounds, an extended magazine, and gun cases at the scene. Criscenzo’s defense argued his statements showed responsibility without premeditated intent to kill, emphasizing reckless shooting over deliberate murder, and requested immediate sentencing; no date is set yet.
Case Context
Prosecutors highlighted Criscenzo’s controlling behavior and fear of abandonment as motive. A GoFundMe supported Oglesby’s baby and family, describing her as a “beautiful young soul taken too soon.” His not-guilty plea in September 2025 preceded the jury trial leading to conviction.
