Concerned man allegedly murders girlfriend, claims she left for another

A man from Texas is accused of murdering his girlfriend and then telling others she had met someone new in South Dakota and decided to stay with him.

Christopher Charles Sanders, 53, is facing murder charges in connection to the disappearance of Molly Richards, age 31, based on Denton County jail documents reviewed by Law&Crime. The case dates back to October 2025.

Molly Richards' father, Steven Richards, informed the Little Elm Police Department that in October 2025, she had moved in with Sanders in Little Elm, as found in an arrest affidavit examined by regional ABC affiliate WFAA. 

He mentioned receiving a text from her indicating she and her boyfriend planned a trip to South Dakota, and that November was when he saw her last.

Molly Richards had reportedly shared with her father that Sanders was abusive, and on December 1, 2025, she texted him about checking into a mental health facility due to her bipolar disorder. This led Steven Richards to reach out to Sanders for news about his daughter.

"I stopped by your place. Where exactly is Molly?" Steven Richards messaged Sanders on December 15, according to WFAA. "No response at the door, and I didn’t spot her vehicle. I'm very concerned about Molly. Could you let me know her whereabouts and well-being?"

Sanders, allegedly, never responded.

The affidavit reveals that officials looked into Sanders' ties to South Dakota, discovering Molly Richards' car had been involved in an accident in Deadwood, South Dakota. 

A witness informed authorities that Sanders requested him to look after her car while he took her to a clinic about 40 miles south of Deadwood in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Sanders reportedly abandoned her vehicle there and flew back to Texas, telling the witness that Richards had encountered a man in Deadwood and decided to stay with him at a motel in Rapid City. 

But when Little Elm investigators reached out to motels and other places in that area, none reported having seen Richards.

After discovering Richards' car, investigators secured a search warrant for it and detected a strong scent of cleaning supplies. 

On February 19, authorities traced her phone signal to Denton near Sanders' residence, and shortly after, a woman taking care of Sanders' dogs reportedly uncovered Richards' possessions, including her driver's license.

On February 25, the Little Elm Police Department posted a "Missing Person" flyer on social media, noting Molly Richards was last observed in Little Elm, just north of Dallas, in November 2025. 

The flyer mentioned, "She was said to have potentially gone to South Dakota and has neither been seen nor heard from since."

When law enforcement executed a search warrant on Sanders' properties, they allegedly discovered sheets with blood stains, a receipt for a 24-inch bow saw, and ten five-gallon buckets. 

Authorities suspect Sanders committed murder against Richards around November 25, 2025, as reported by The Independent.

Sanders was taken into custody on March 16. The remains of Richards have yet to be located.