Chris Bagley’s widow, children tell Andrew Shaw he took ‘precious moments’ from their lives

Bagley’s teen son says he hopes Shaw has regret

Courtney Bagley testifies in the first-degree murder trial of Andrew Shaw at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 8. Bagley is the widow of Chris Bagley, 31, of Walker, who was killed in December of 2018. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

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CEDAR RAPIDS— The widow of Chris Bagley on Friday told a Cedar Rapids man, who was convicted in his fatal stabbing in 2018, that she hopes he will watch all the “precious moments” of his children and family from a prison cell.

“You took more than a normal life away from my children and myself,” Courtney Bagley, in her victim statement, told Andrew Shaw, who was sentenced for second-degree murder. “You took it from our whole family.”

Her husband is missing out on talking to his son about “teenage boy” problems, teaching him how to drive and taking his daughter to “daddy-daughter” dances, Courtney said.

“More importantly the moments that haven’t happened,” she said. “Graduations, weddings, babies, all of which I am currently fighting a battle with cancer to make sure I will be able to be there for because Chris will not get to experience.”

Chris’ 10-year-old daughter, in a statement read by another family member, told Shaw he changed a lot of people’s lives when he “told people to murder my daddy.”

“I was almost 4 years old when this happened,” his daughter said. “Anyways, I want to tell you how it has changed my life. Because of what you did I don’t have my dad. A dad to take me to daddy-daughter dances, help me with driving, go to my graduations or walk me down the aisle when I get married.”

Chris’ 15-year-old son, in a statement read by another family member, said he lost his dad so young, he can’t remember things about him such as his face, smell, warmth and “light in his eyes.“

Lori Ruiz, Chris Bagley’s sister, looks at Andrew Shaw as she reads an impact statement from her nephew and Chris Bagley’s son, during the sentencing hearing of Andrew Shaw at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday. Shaw was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 35 years. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The teen said “most” people die alone, but his dad didn’t. Some might be grateful for that but instead his dad saw the faces of those “stabbing him and he knew who was behind it all.”

“At the end of the day I hope you feel regret for what you've done,” the teen said. “When you die you will be known for murder. Your absence will lose damn near everyone's affection. You're simply less for what you've done.”

Shaw, 37, declined to make a statement during his sentencing. His lawyer previously said he plans to appeal the conviction.

Andrew Shaw sits between is attorneys during his sentencing hearing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday. Shaw was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 35 years. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sixth Judicial District Judge David Cox sentenced Shaw to up to 50 years for second-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of Bagley, 31, of Walker, on Dec. 14, 2018.

A Linn County jury acquitted him of two other charges — solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony.

Shaw must serve a mandatory minimum of 35 years before being eligible for parole. He must also pay $150,000 in restitution to Chris Bagley’s heirs or estate.

Christine and Stewart Bagley, Chris’ parents, declined to speak to The Gazette following the hearing, saying they were just relieved the case is over. They spoke to a reporter after Shaw was convicted. They have waited six years for four convictions of men responsible for killing their son to get through the court process.

Stewart Bagley (left) wears a T-shirt in memory of his son Chris Bagley as his wife and Chris’ mother Christine is seen after the sentencing hearing of Andrew Shaw at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

In other victim statements, Chris’ sister, Lori Ruiz said she was “praying” this was the last time her family would have to sit in a courtroom and face the “monsters” who took their loved one.

“We have gone through almost seven years of heart break and it is time for us to start to mend our broken hearts, although they will never be completely healed,” Ruiz said. “Chris will always be loved and missed but our memories of the fun, loving guy he was will always live on.”

Stewart Bagley, read an email that was sent to him anonymously after Chris was killed. He doesn’t know who sent it but it “exactly” described his son and who he was.

Stewart Bagley speaks during the sentencing hearing of Andrew Shaw at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Friday. Bagley’s son, Chris Bagley, 31, of Walker, was killed in December of 2018. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

“Thank you so very much for being you,” the email stated. “You were everything to so many people. You poured from a cup that seemingly never emptied. You were first one in line to help, to motivate and give credit where credit was due. You loved so fiercely! You were a special kind of man — the kind that could love without expectation.”

Shaw’s trial

Prosecutors argued Shaw hired Drew Wagner, 39, and Johnny Blahnik Church, formerly known as Drew Blahnik, 38, to carry out the killing.

After the conviction, First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter said it was clear by the acquittal of the solicitation and conspiracy charges that the jury didn’t believe Shaw paid to have Bagley killed. Instead, the jury believed he paid for or set in motion the assault, knowing that the men involved and the assault itself were dangerous, which made it reasonably “foreseeable” that something “catastrophic” could happen. That is second-degree murder, she said.

Wagner is serving 37 years for voluntary manslaughter and other charges, and Blahnik Church is serving 57 years for second-degree murder in this case and another assault. A third Cedar Rapids man, Paul Hoff, 46, also was convicted and sentenced to two years for obstructing prosecution, an aggravated misdemeanor. He also is serving a federal drug and firearms sentence.

Drew Blahnik addresses the family of Chris Bagley as he makes a statement during his sentencing at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Dec. 17, 2021. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Slaughter, during her closing argument, said Bagley gave Shaw a motive to “get rid of him.” Bagley robbed and burglarized Shaw’s business, stealing money and drugs, and even assaulted him during one of the robberies.

Wagner and Blahnik Church had the opportunity and carried out the plan they made with Shaw to kill Bagley. Shaw wanted Bagley eliminated because he was interfering with his drug trafficking business, prosecutors said.

Slaughter said both Wagner and Hoff testified, each giving different versions of how Bagley was fatally stabbed, and it was up to the jury to decide which version of events seemed credible.

Slaughter said Wagner seemed to have a good memory of things that didn't implicate him, but Hoff always told the same story. Hoff’s story did not change through his federal proffer, grand jury testimony, testimony at Blahnik Church’s trial and his testimony in this trial, she said.

According to testimony, Bagley had 17 stab and cutting wounds to his neck, shoulder, torso and leg. The various wounds went through soft tissue muscles and penetrated his upper airway, larynx, jugular vein, heart, left lung, stomach, diaphragm, spleen and abdomen, Dr. Kelly Kruse, an associate Iowa state medical examiner, testified.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com

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