Left inset: Matthew Criscenzo (Sedgwick County Jail). Right inset: Naomi Oglesby (GoFundMe). Background: The 700 Block of Laura Street in Wichita, Kan., where Matthew Criscenzo allegedly shot Naomi Oglesby inside of his father’s home (Google Maps).
A 20-year-old Kansas man is headed to prison for decades after shooting his pregnant girlfriend to death because he “thought she was gonna leave” him, according to prosecutors. Her baby daughter is now forced to live with severe brain damage and a number of serious medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, after her life was also nearly ended by the man.
“She can’t swallow,” the girl’s foster mother said at Matthew Criscenzo’s sentencing on Tuesday, according to local ABC affiliate KAKE. “We are about to have her first birthday party. She will not get to enjoy her birthday cake,” the woman said. “She will most likely never eat.”
Criscenzo, who is from Sedgwick County, was found guilty in February of premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping and aggravated battery for the shooting death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby, whom he blasted with a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun in May 2024 after she “grabbed” his “PS5 controller” and turned it off — telling him she was leaving, according to Criscenzo’s arrest affidavit.
“I got all of her s— ready for her,” Criscenzo muttered to himself while sitting in a police interview room alone after speaking to detectives about what happened, the affidavit alleged. “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.”
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. Criscenzo’s dad allegedly heard the incident unfold and found Oglesby suffering from a gunshot wound to her head, prompting him to call cops.
“[The father] said he was baking a cheesecake and went to his bedroom after putting it in the oven,” the affidavit said, noting how the couple “stayed the night frequently” at the dad’s home.
“A few minutes after getting into his bedroom he heard a gunshot right outside his bedroom. He opened his bedroom door and saw Naomi lying on the ground,” the affidavit said. “He said Matthew was standing over Naomi and Matthew had a gun in his hand. He took the gun from Matthew and heard Matthew say, ‘What did I do?'”
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.
“Had the child not survived this, we wouldn’t be talking about a first-degree murder case. We would be talking about a capital murder case,” Sedgwick County District Judge Jeff Goering said Tuesday at Criscenzo’s sentencing, while denying a motion for a reduced prison term and sentencing Criscenzo to a total of 74 years. He received 618 months to life for murder, 228 months for kidnapping, and 43 months for aggravated battery. He would begin serving the 271 remaining months on his sentence if he is ever granted parole, KAKE reports.
“There’s no perfect way to say some things, but I never wanted Naomi to die,” Criscenzo told the court. “I certainly never wanted my child to be harmed.”
When officers arrived on scene after the shooting, Criscenzo made several “spontaneous” statements that prompted them to take him into custody — including, “I can’t believe I did this, just f—ing kill me” and “I didn’t want to, I didn’t mean to, I just didn’t want her to go and I thought she was gonna leave me,” according to the affidavit.
“Had he just let her leave the house, we wouldn’t be here dealing with this tragedy today,” Goering said.
“He ended her ability to be a mother to her child,” explained prosecutor Shannon Wilson. “He very nearly ended her child’s life. There is nothing that is appropriate in this case, but the maximum.”
Naomi’s sister, Ashley Stewart, told the court that the life of her baby daughter, Zy’nia, is “permanently altered” as a result of Criscenzo’s actions.
“[The girl will never be able to have a normal childhood or adulthood if she miraculously makes it to adulthood,” Stewart said. “He took two full, long, happy lives away from women who still had their whole lives leading a domestic violence relationship is the most deadly one. He ended one life, but altered many more.”
While arguing for a reduced sentenced, Criscenzo’s defense team told the court that he “has a learning disorder” and “deficits in memory processing,” per KAKE.
“He’s had some mental health services, outpatient treatment,” a defense lawyer said. “He is here today with substance abuse issues, which he’s trying to fight. He has mental health issues, which have led to suicidal thoughts and ideations before and since he’s been in custody, or the tragedy of Naomi’s death will only become compounded by a life sentence.”
Friends and exes told investigators Criscenzo was “violent and controlling,” and said he threatened the victim repeatedly just one week prior to the murder, according to prosecutors.
One pal told cops she allegedly witnessed a domestic assault unfold between the couple, during which Criscenzo was allegedly drunk and high and assaulted Oglesby.
“Matthew grabbed Naomi and bit her on the hand,” the affidavit says about the alleged incident. “Then he pulled out a gun and told Naomi he was going to ‘f—ing’ kill her.”
“He got the ultimate control,” Wilson concluded. “He ended her life.”
