A Tennessee man, previously cleared of murder charges, is once again facing legal consequences after a grand jury returned a fresh indictment in a 2021 double homicide case involving his wife and father-in-law.
The Clarksville Police Department recently announced via Facebook that 35-year-old Matthew Konen has been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder. The charges stem from the January 2021 deaths of his wife, 30-year-old Rachel Konen, and his father-in-law, 62-year-old David Rodgers.
Konen had initially faced murder charges in 2021, but the Nashville District Attorney’s Office dropped them in 2023 due to lack of sufficient evidence. The DA at the time, Robert Nash, emphasized that if further proof emerged, the case could be presented again to a grand jury.
On January 20, 2021, Konen made a frantic 911 call reporting that he had allegedly beaten David Rodgers after Rodgers fatally shot Rachel. During the call, he was reportedly heard shouting, “My father-in-law just shot my wife!” He claimed to have acted in self-defense, stating that he “pistol-whipped” Rodgers and took his weapon after the shooting.
Konen, who was employed as a paramedic with the Nashville Fire Department at the time, told dispatchers that his wife was “agonally breathing” and that he intended to retrieve his medical bag to render aid.
Despite his efforts, neither Rachel nor Rodgers survived. Authorities arrested Konen and charged him with their murders later that year. In June 2021, he pleaded not guilty. However, in October 2023, the DA’s office filed a nolle prosequi, dismissing the charges unless new evidence was presented.
The turning point came this week when the Clarksville Police announced that a grand jury re-indicted Konen on both murder charges. The indictment, for now, remains sealed, and the department has withheld further details due to the ongoing investigation.
Konen was taken into custody on Tuesday and is currently being held at the Montgomery County Jail with his bond set at $1 million.
