On Halloween night, a former Colorado art teacher allegedly embarked on a violent stabbing spree, using a knife fashioned from an animal antler. The suspect, 33-year-old Matthew Regnier of Colorado Springs, is accused of fatally stabbing a man and injuring two women. Police officers responding to the scene reportedly found Regnier naked and covered in blood, holding a two-year-old child in his arms.
The incident occurred in the 1400 block of El Paso Street shortly before midnight. Colorado Springs Police had received multiple calls about a domestic disturbance. Upon their arrival, Regnier allegedly informed them that he had recorded the events leading up to and during the stabbing on his cellphone, using the device’s “selfie mode.” During subsequent police interviews, Regnier claimed that the attack was an act of self-defense.
According to the arrest affidavit, Regnier described being assaulted by three individuals. He claimed one was trying to bite off his finger, another was attempting to strangle him, and the third was trying to mutilate his genitals. Regnier told police that he had grabbed a “buck knife” from a closet and defended himself as the alleged assault unfolded.
The male victim, who was the uncle of the child Regnier was holding, succumbed to his injuries early Saturday morning after being rushed to a local hospital. The two female victims survived the alleged attack. The affidavit did not disclose the victims’ names or their relationship to Regnier.
One of the women reportedly told police that Regnier was preventing her and the other woman from approaching the child after changing their diaper. Regnier admitted to police that he could not provide a plausible reason for why the three would attack him.
In the video Regnier recorded on his cellphone, he can be seen holding the camera in “selfie mode” while one of the female victims was behind him on a bed, her arm seemingly around his neck. The affidavit alleges that Regnier was heard screaming about being choked and not being able to breathe, but repeatedly escaped from the supposed strangulation. He can also be heard screaming about his genitals before he begins to repeatedly stab the woman.
The male victim entered the room after hearing the women screaming and was immediately attacked by Regnier. The cellphone video captured both audio and visual footage of the attack. The knife used in the attack was found inside the residence. The handle of the blade appeared to be made from the antler of a deer or other game animal, consistent with the home’s decor, which included several animal skins and mounted skulls.
Neighbors reported seeing Regnier handing out candy outside the home earlier in the night. Local officials confirmed that Regnier was a former art teacher at Monument Academy, a charter school, and his employment was terminated following his arrest. He also served as a coach for the junior varsity soccer team at Palmer Ridge High School.
Regnier was taken into custody and charged with murder, attempted murder, and assault. He is being held without bail at the El Paso County Jail, with his first court appearance scheduled for November 10.