Newly released 911 audio is shedding more light on the domestic dispute that led to the arrest and suspension of longtime Florida Panthers equipment manager Thaddeus “Teddy” Richards earlier this summer.
Richards, 43, was arrested July 17 following an incident at his Coral Springs, Florida, home. His wife told police the argument erupted after a family gathering celebrating their son’s birthday and accused Richards of repeatedly hitting her.
Richards denied striking his wife when questioned by officers.
The criminal charges were later dropped after prosecutors said Richards’ wife signed a sworn waiver of prosecution and would not cooperate with the case. Despite that development, Richards remained suspended from the Panthers as the team’s new season approached.
According to audio released months after the incident, Richards’ wife called authorities shortly after midnight and sounded distraught as she described what she said had happened inside the home.
She told the dispatcher that Richards had become “out of control” and accused him of hitting her repeatedly. She also claimed he threw away her phone and said she feared their children might wake up during the disturbance.
The argument reportedly began after Richards’ wife became suspicious that he had been flirting with one of her sister’s friends during the birthday gathering.
According to the police account, the woman acknowledged throwing water at Richards during the confrontation. She alleged that Richards then became furious and began hitting her.
When officers arrived, she reportedly told them Richards had struck her around the head and face and pushed her against a wall. Although police reportedly did not document obvious injuries, she told officers her head was spinning.
Richards gave investigators a sharply different version of events.
Body-camera footage reportedly shows him telling officers that his wife became angry after another woman gave him a business card. Richards alleged that his wife slapped and hit him and insisted that he never struck her.
He did acknowledge breaking her phone during the dispute.
Police ultimately arrested Richards on misdemeanor charges that included battery/domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services. Broward County court records confirmed those charges at the time of his arrest.
The Panthers reacted quickly.
The organization announced that Richards had been suspended from all team activities and facilities while the matter was investigated. The suspension remained in place even after prosecutors abandoned the criminal case.
Broward County prosecutors announced July 29 that the charges would not move forward because Richards’ wife had filed a sworn waiver of prosecution and declined to cooperate.
That decision did not amount to a court finding that either Richards’ account or his wife’s account was accurate. Rather, prosecutors ended the criminal case after losing the cooperation of the complaining witness.
The newly publicized recordings are now bringing renewed attention to allegations that had largely faded after the charges were dropped.
Richards has been a familiar figure behind the scenes in professional hockey for years.
He joined the Panthers for the 2016-17 season after previously working in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He has also served with USA Hockey, including during the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and the United States men’s team’s run at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
His tenure with Florida also included the Panthers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025.
As recently as September, Panthers general manager Bill Zito confirmed Richards remained suspended and indicated the organization would address his situation when it considered the timing appropriate.