A 20-year-old man from Kansas has been convicted of fatally shooting his pregnant girlfriend, with prosecutors arguing that he acted out of fear that she was planning to leave him. According to court documents, acquaintances and former partners described the man as “violent and controlling,” noting that he had repeatedly threatened the victim, even telling her he was going to “kill her” just a week before the tragic incident.

The accused, Matthew Criscenzo from Sedgwick County, was found guilty of shooting his girlfriend, Naomi Oglesby, also 20, in May 2024. The incident occurred after Oglesby reportedly turned off Criscenzo’s PlayStation 5 controller to speak with him about her intention to leave. The arrest affidavit reveals that Criscenzo used a Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun during the altercation. On Monday, he was convicted on charges of premeditated first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and aggravated battery.

During a police interview, Criscenzo reportedly muttered to himself about preparing Oglesby’s belongings for her departure. He recounted the events leading up to the shooting, claiming he pointed the gun at her, and when she attempted to push it away, it discharged, according to the affidavit.

Criscenzo had entered a plea of not guilty to the charges stemming from the shooting, which took place at his father’s residence located in the 700 block of South Laura Avenue. According to the affidavit, Criscenzo’s father, who was at home at the time, heard the gunshot and discovered Oglesby with a gunshot wound to the head, prompting him to contact the authorities.

The affidavit details that Criscenzo’s father had been in the process of baking a cheesecake and had retreated to his bedroom after placing it in the oven. The couple, who often spent nights at his home, was involved in the incident just minutes later.

“A few moments after entering his bedroom, he heard a gunshot just outside the door,” the affidavit states. “Upon opening the door, he saw Naomi lying on the floor, with Matthew standing over her, holding a gun. He then took the firearm from Matthew, who was heard asking, ‘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.

When officers arrived on scene, Criscenzo allegedly 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.

Criscenzo added, “She loved me and I killed her.” The comments continued while Criscenzo was being transported to a local police station, his affidavit says.

“I can’t believe I shot her,” Criscenzo said while in a patrol car. “I can’t believe I pulled the trigger. She wanted to leave, I should have let her leave.”

An officer who was with Criscenzo at one point radioed in and said, “Hey Sarge, this dude is in shock. He’s self-admitting that he shot her. Over and over and over,” according to court documents.

While in the police interview room, Criscenzo allegedly uttered things like “This is not real” and “I forced her to go and then I changed my mind and shot her on accident and she pushed the gun away. Why did I do that though? Why did I even have my finger on the trigger? I know finger discipline,” according to the affidavit.

He continued to talk out loud and allegedly said, “I really shot her. This isn’t a bad dream I’m gonna wake up from.” At one point, Criscenzo claimed he wanted to go home “with Naenae and I killed her.”

Criscenzo’s lawyer tried arguing in court filings that his statements were “a vital part of his guilt-based defense” because they showed “acceptance of responsibility” and were “contemporaneous with his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement.” They told the court that while prosecutors claimed Criscenzo “not only had an intent to shoot but an intent to kill and premeditation,” case law shows that even if the state is correct that he had an intent to shoot, that intent does not equate to an intent to kill or premeditation.

“Intent to shoot in a reckless manner is not intent to kill,” Criscenzo’s defense team said. “Intent to shoot … does not automatically mean … intended to kill. … Even an intentional blow can result in an unintentional but reckless killing.”

Police investigators located a spent .40 caliber cartridge casing in the living room of Criscenzo’s father’s home, two “live” .40 caliber rounds, an extended firearm magazine on the couch, and three gun cases in Criscenzo’s bedroom.

Criscenzo claimed he was “drunk” at the time of the incident and that he thought he only “grazed” Oglesby, the affidavit alleged. A friend of the victim’s told cops that she witnessed a domestic assault unfold between the couple about a week before the shooting, 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.”

A GoFundMe launched for Oglesby’s baby and family describes her as a “beautiful young soul who was taken too soon.”

Criscenzo’s sentencing date has not been listed in the court file yet. His lawyer filed a request Monday for immediate sentencing.