Authorities in Liberia have detained an American missionary on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly attempted to sever his Liberian wife’s throat. According to the Daily Observer, the suspect, Lucas Richard, is a Creekside Church missionary. He was also supposedly married to someone other than the victim, Jessica Lloyd.
The suspect is currently being held by police in the West African country, and he is being investigated for attempted murder. “The Liberia National Police have arrested and are investigating an American national, Lucas Richards, on allegations of Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder and Aggravated Assault,” the police said in a Facebook post.
“On September 14, at 3 PM, it is alleged that suspect Richards drove the victim, Jessica Lloyd, around Dixville, Caldwell, where he attacked and injured her, leaving her with lacerations on her neck, the back of her head, and fingers.
“Victim Lloyd is currently undergoing treatment at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, while Suspect Richards is detained at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police. The public can be assured that justice will be served.”
The allegations were, however, denied by Richard as he claimed Lloyd sustained the injuries after she was hit by a motorcycle. “She was hit by a motorbike. The motorbike struck her, causing her to fall backward and roll into the ditch,” the suspect claimed.
Richard also informed authorities that the claimed collision happened after he dropped the victim off after going to the grocery. However, Lloyd accused Richard of attempting to murder her.
“But firstly, before we could get out of the car, he took a big knife, saying that he was afraid of snakes and that, in case he saw one, we would kill it. So we got out of the car. He put the knife in his pocket after we got to the riverside. The area was crowded, so he couldn’t do anything,” Lloyd said, per the Daily Observer.
“Later on, we went to some kind of bush area. He said he wanted to urinate. After urinating, he said he saw some kind of animal in the bush, but the knife was in his pocket. So he called me to come see. But I told him that I was scared. So I just stood behind him. If I was going to get closer, he would have killed me right there, so I just stood behind him.”
The victim added: “When he finished urinating, I told him to wash his hands. Then we drove in front. He said he wanted to urinate again. So he said, ‘Stand behind me small.’ I stood behind him, but not too close, so when he finished, we got back into the car, went in front small, and passed by a cemetery.
