MONROVIA — Creekside Church located in Urbandale, Iowa, the United States of America, has distanced itself from Lucas Richard, who is charged with criminal attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault, for allegedly attempting to slice the throat of a lady in Liberia recently.
Creekside Church confirmed that Richard, an American missionary and a native of Louisiana, has been connected to the church for years, but issued a disclaimer that he’s not a member of the Urbandale church.
Authorities in Liberia announced on 16 September that police had arrested and were investigating Richard based on allegations that on Thursday, 14 September 2023, at 3 PM, the U.S. citizen drove Jessica around Dixville, Caldwell, outside the capital, Monrovia, where he’s reported to have assaulted the Liberian lady, leaving her with bodily injuries.
In a message now deleted, Creekside Church posted on its Facebook page the day of the incident, coveting the prayers of others for the U.S. missionary and his wife Lois Richard, indicating that Richard was attacked and robbed.
But in its latest statement, Creekside Church is distancing itself from Richard, indicating that “Lucas is not a member of Creekside, but of a church in Liberia which he founded consisting of its own board of elders and accountability structure.
Creekside Church, having realized that its now-deleted Facebook post calling for prayer for Richard and his wife made it seem like the church is insensitive to the victim and that it appeared like it was coming to the defense of the accused, and by extension, it was dismissive of his charges, has remorsefully stated that this was not the case.
The church clarified that prayer is its first priority when confronted with a situation such as Richard’s issue, noting that the church is sensitive to Jessica, who also accuses Lucas Richard of perpetrating the act.
Creekside Church says it is seeking the truth in the matter, as it is always its obligation to seek the truth, but that such a task has been made more difficult considering that eyewitness accounts are radically different.
However, the church stated that it trusts the legal system in Liberia to find the truth and render justice regarding the allegations levied against the American missionary.
Howbeit, Creekside Church has announced that it has sadly confirmed that Richard had in fact entered into a marriage with Jessica, which neither the church nor his first wife Lois had any prior knowledge of.
Creekside Church, which disclosed that it is continuing to work with the U.S. State Department regarding the American missionary’s case, noted that having verified Richard’s extramarital affair with Jessica, he is ineligible to neither represent nor receive the church support.
Meanwhile, a court in Liberia yesterday ordered Richard remanded in jail pending his trial which according to judicial sources, is expected to be speedy.
Richard maintains his innocence, but Jessica recently explaining her ordeal allegedly at the hands of the American missionary, narrated how she was attacked by the 32-year-old, indicating that he intended to murder her by slicing her throat.
