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Witness: Marion man was ‘screaming’ as he stabbed Chris Bagley multiple times
Paul Hoff said Drew Wagner told him ‘we’re being paid’ for killing
Aug. 13, 2025 6:44 pm, Updated: Aug. 14, 2025 7:30 am
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man, already convicted for his part in Chris Bagley’s fatal stabbing, testified a Marion man was “screaming” as he stabbed Bagley in the torso, stomach and slashed his neck while another man held him down.
Paul Hoff, 46, who continued his testimony from Tuesday in the first-degree murder trial of Andrew Shaw, said he didn’t know his friend was going to be killed during those early morning hours of Dec. 14, 2018.
Drew Wagner, who held Bagley down during the attack, told Hoff he and Johnny Blahnik Church — formerly known as Drew Blahnik — were going to beat Bagley up because he had been robbing Shaw of drugs and money.
Hoff’s version of events varied from that of Wagner, who testified earlier in the week. Wagner minimized his role in the assault, which Hoff said he started, and how the body ended up buried in his yard on the southeast side of Cedar Rapids.
Shaw, 37, of Cedar Rapids, also is charged with solicitation to commit murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. He is accused of hiring Blahnik Church, 38, of Marion and Wagner, 39, to kill Bagley, according to a criminal complaint.
Hoff was convicted of obstruction of prosecution for interfering or impeding the case. He was sentenced to two years and also is serving a federal prison sentence of more than 10 years for firearms and drugs.
Blahnik Church is serving 57 years for second-degree murder in this case and another assault.
Wagner was originally charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded to voluntary manslaughter and other charges. He was sentenced to 47 years, which included two unrelated charges.
The prosecution continues its case Thursday. The trial started last week and is expected to go into next week.
How it happened
The fatal stabbing happened at Hoff’s mobile home at 7100 Mount Vernon Rd., which wasn’t his primary address. Hoff said it was used as a drug house where he made drug transactions.
Hoff had been at his trailer that morning selling drugs when Bagley and a woman Hoff didn’t know stopped by at 3 a.m.
Hoff got a call about 3 or 4 a.m. from Wagner, asking if he had seen Bagley. Hoff told Wagner Bagley was with him, and Wagner said he was coming over.
Wagner arrived with Blahnik Church, who Hoff didn’t know. Wagner took Hoff into another room and told him that Bagley had been robbing Shaw and they were going to “(expletive) him up,” which Hoff said he understood as beating him up.
When he and Wagner returned to the living room, Hoff said Wagner immediately confronted Bagley about robberies, saying he was interfering with everyone’s business. Bagley said he didn’t care.
Hoff said Wagner got up in Bagley’s face and they started chest bumping each other. Bagley tried to push back and Wagner spun around to Bagley’s back and held him in a “reverse bear hug” position, Hoff said. When Bagley pushed back again, it caused them to fall against a wall.
Blahnik Church then came over and pulled a 10-inch knife from behind his back, Hoff said.
Blahnik Church started stabbing Bagley on his left side and in the stomach, as Bagley said, “Please just let me get out of here,” Hoff said. Wagner said, “It’s too late … Kill this (expletive).”
Blahnik, while “screaming,” pulled Bagley’s head back and slashed and stabbed his throat several times, Hoff said.
Blahnik Church wiped off the knife and tucked it back in his pants waistband.
Hoff said no one tried to help Bagley or mentioned calling 911, as Wagner testified.
Wagner pulled a tarp that was covering furniture in the trailer, and he and Hoff wrapped Bagley’s body, Hoff said.
First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter asked Hoff how he could watch his friend be killed and then wrap up the body.
Hoff said he was “panicked” and told the two men to get out. He just wanted to get away from the situation.
The three of them pushed the body through the trailer’s window, and Blahnik Church and Wagner loaded it into Wagner’s truck bed. Hoff put a large piece of plywood over it to conceal it, he said.
Hoff said there was so much blood in the trailer, seeping into the flooring, on the walls and ceiling, furniture and cabinets, that he started cleaning up immediately. He ripped up the flooring and tore out drywall and cabinets.
He said he sent text messages to Wagner to ask or help, but Wagner never responded until Hoff mentioned having breakfast.
When Wagner showed up, he assured Hoff he would help him out because “we’re getting paid for this.” Wagner didn’t say who was paying them. Hoff said he wasn’t paid.
A few weeks later, Blahnik Church asked to meet Hoff at a bar. When Hoff drove into the parking lot, Blahnik Church and another man who Hoff didn’t know got into Hoff’s vehicle.
Hoff said Blahnik Church was drunk and talked “crazy,” saying, multiple times, they would have to kill Wagner. Wagner was a “(expletive) and was vomiting when burying the body,” Blahnik Church told Hoff.
Hoff testified he didn’t know what happened to the body. Blahnik Church didn’t say where they buried it.
About a month later, Wagner told Hoff “we’re going to have to move the body” from his yard. Wagner said the “heat was coming.”
Bagley, Hoff robbed Shaw
Hoff also testified about a robbery he participated in with Bagley against Shaw. They took tools, money and drugs from his business on Oct. 27, 2018. It’s one of several robberies that the prosecution says explain Shaw’s motive for wanting Bagley killed.
Hoff said he and Bagley wanted to get his concrete tools and valuable machinery from Shaw’s business shop. When the two men kicked in the door to the shop, Shaw was waiting on the other side, armed with an AR-15.
Hoff said Bagley told Shaw he wanted his tools, and when Shaw lowered his rifle, Bagley grabbed the weapon.
Shaw reminded Bagley he owed him money, but then Shaw conceded and told Bagley to take his tools, Hoff said. Shaw even helped Bagley and Hoff load the equipment.
After Shaw went back inside, Bagley kicked in the door to steal money and drugs. Bagley took a large plastic bag with about $26,000 in cash and a black duffel bag with 200 THC cartridges, Hoff said.
The three men got into a fight until Hoff put Shaw in a “chokehold” and Shaw conceded again and let them take what they wanted.
Hoff and Bagley split the cash, Hoff kept the AR-15 and took 20 THC cartridges.
Hoff said he knew who Shaw was, but he’d never met him before that night.
Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for the The Gazette
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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