COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – A Halloween gathering in a Colorado Springs home turned fatal late Friday, leaving one man dead and two women injured after a violent stabbing police say was carried out by a former local art teacher.
Authorities say the night took a horrific turn in the 1400 block of El Paso Street, shattering the lives of a family whose normal evening descended into terror. According to investigators, the home was filled with the sounds of distress and confusion when officers responded minutes before midnight. The horror that unfolded left lasting trauma, especially for the two women who survived the ordeal.
The deceased, described as the uncle of a two-year-old child present at the scene, lost his life after intervening on behalf of the others. Police say he ran toward cries for help and into the midst of violence, ultimately paying with his life as he tried to protect those inside. He was rushed to a local hospital but died soon after arrival.
The two surviving women suffered serious injuries from the attack, police said. One woman recounted that she and her companion had been kept at a distance from the child after changing the toddler’s diaper, suggesting tensions had been simmering even before the confrontation erupted. Both women fought to protect themselves and the young child as the situation spiraled out of control.
Authorities said the suspect, Matthew Regnier, 33, launched his assault with a homemade antler-handled knife, stabbing the victims repeatedly. The knife’s rustic handle, fashioned from a deer antler, matched the house’s wilderness-themed decor—an eerie detail underscoring the brutality of the assault.
As local law enforcement arrived at the grisly scene, they found Regnier naked, bloodied, and holding the toddler—a jarring image that would stay with first responders and the victims’ loved ones. The women’s injuries, though not fatal, required immediate medical care. Their statements to detectives revealed not only the physical violence of the attack but the emotional wounds left in its wake.
Neighbors were shocked by the sudden violence in their community, noting that hours earlier, the same house was handing out Halloween candy. The night’s horrifying turn, however, has left the victims and their families grappling with unimaginable loss and pain.
Officials later confirmed Regnier’s identity and his employment history at Monument Academy and Palmer Ridge High School, noting his dismissal following the attack. The identity of the victims, as well as the precise nature of their relationships with Regnier, have not been released.
As the two women recover and remember the loved one who died trying to protect them, many questions remain unanswered about what led to the violent outburst. Police say they are still piecing together evidence and reviewing recordings allegedly made by the suspect during the incident.
Regnier was taken into custody and booked into El Paso County Jail. He faces murder and attempted murder charges, with his first court appearance set for November 10.
While the legal process unfolds, the victims’ families and friends are left to mourn, hoping for healing and searching for answers behind a night that altered their lives forever.