116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Convicted drug trafficker now charged in Chris Bagley’s fatal stabbing
Judge sets bail at $2 million
Oct. 17, 2023 11:58 am, Updated: Oct. 17, 2023 2:37 pm
CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man, who just completed his federal sentence for running a large marijuana trafficking ring, was transferred into state custody after being charged Tuesday in the fatal stabbing of Chris Bagley in 2018.
Andrew Thomas Shaw, 34, was charged in Linn County District Court with first-degree murder, solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit forcible felony, according to a criminal complaint. A warrant was issued last year, while he was still serving his federal sentence in prison.
Shaw is accused of aiding and abetting Drew Wagner, 38, and Johnny Blahnik Church, 36, formerly known as Drew Blahnik, both already convicted in Bagley’s slaying, between Oct. 1, 2018 and Feb. 20, 2019, according to the complaint. He also is accused of hiring them to kill Bagley, 31, of Walker, which they did and were paid for the crime, the complaint states.
Sixth Judicial Associate District Judge Russell Keast set a $2 million bail for Shaw, who appeared by video, wearing a yellow protective vest because he is on suicide watch, which is typical for inmates charged with murder.
Keast asked Shaw if he would need a court-appointed attorney and Shaw said he would.
If convicted, Shaw faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Stewart Bagley, Chris’ father who attended the brief hearing, said afterward that he and other family members had “lots of anxiety” waiting more than four years for this moment. He had been up since 4 a.m. today.
“We just want to get this over with and move forward,” Bagley said.
He said he is grateful to Linn County Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Beuter, who investigated this case, and First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter for all the work they have done on this case.
Bagley said not a day goes by that he and his wife, Christine, who was also at the hearing, don’t think of their son.
“I felt his presence today and could just see him with a big smile on his face,” he said.
Trial testimony
Wagner, during the trial for Blahnik Church testified how he and Blahnik Church carried out Bagley’s killing on behalf of their mutual drug dealer, Shaw, as revenge because Bagley robbed Shaw of money and drugs and beat him up in one incident.
Wagner said Bagley had stolen amounts from $23,000 to up to $200,000 from Shaw. He also overheard Shaw asking Blahnik Church if he would kill Bagley for some amount of money — he didn’t hear dollar amount.
The two men went to the mobile home of Paul Hoff, 44, of Cedar Rapids, also convicted in the fatal stabbing, in Cedar Rapids to harm Bagley Dec. 14, 2018. Wagner got into a fight with Bagley, threw him up against a wall and put him in a bear hug.
Wagner said he didn’t want to hurt Bagley but Blahnik Church yelled “gun, gun.” Wagner didn’t see a gun on Bagley but did see one on the floor. Wagner then got a hold of Bagley from behind, putting him in a headlock, when he felt something on his hand — Blahnik Church accidentally stabbed Wagner.
Blahnik Church then told Wagner to let go of Bagley and Wagner walked away, but as he turned back, he saw Blahnik Church stabbing Bagley. He didn’t know how many times Bagley was stabbed.
According to trial testimony, Bagley died from 17 stab wounds to his neck and torso.
After the stabbing, Wagner said he saw Blahnik Church hand the knife to Hoff.
All three men wrapped up Bagley’s body and loaded it into a truck, according to trial testimony. The truck with the body was left in Wagner’s garage. Blahnik Church took the bag with the knife, along with Wagner’s shirt and other items he took from the mobile home, and left Wagner’s house.
Later, Wagner said he went to meet Shaw at his investment business and he told him what happened to Bagley. Shaw gave him marijuana for Hoff, a package of about $10,000 in cash, some THC wax and 100 THC cartridges for Blahnik as pay for the killing.
Wagner said he didn’t want any money from Shaw, but said Shaw later tried to charge him less than usual for marijuana that Wagner would sell.
Blahnik Church brought the body back to Wagner’s house and buried it in the yard on Soutter Avenue SE, Wagner testified. Blahnik Church promised to remove the body in the spring.
Bagley’s body was excavated from the frozen ground by law enforcement March 1, 2019. The body was found buried under a pile of lumber and canoe by Wagner’s garage.
Blahnik Church, during a police interview played for the jury, admitted to stabbing Bagley but said it was in self-defense because Bagley reached for his gun.
Blahnik Church was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges and was sentenced in December 2021 to 57 years in prison.
The Iowa Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in February, but the Iowa Supreme Court agreed to review the case after the Iowa Attorney General’s Office filed the application as requested by the Linn County Attorney’s Office.
The justices could uphold the jury’s conviction or agree with the appeals court and give Blahnik Church a new trial. The court accepted written arguments in September but hasn’t submitted a ruling yet.
First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter previously said if Blahnik Church is granted a new trial, she will retry him for second-degree murder.
Blahnik Church remains in prison on a federal gun charge and for assaulting another inmate while in the Linn County Jail.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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