Pastor Richard Shahan was arrested while attempting to leave the country on an extended mission trip. He was charged with the murder of his wife, Karen Shahan. The police think he was planning to escape to Russia.
Shahan was the pastor at First Baptist Church in Birmingham. He resigned his position on December 31, 2013. Shahan has an alibi which puts him at his son’s house during the murder. Police suspect his involvement anyway.
In a Thursday afternoon press conference, Homewood police Chief Jim Roberson confirmed that "certain inconsistencies in interviews" continually led investigators back to Richard Shahan as the main suspect in the July 2013 murder of his wife, Karen.
Shahan is being held without bond.
There are unconfirmed reports that Karen Shahan was stabbed to death in her home.
Karen Louise Shahan's body was discovered about 11:15 a.m. July 23 inside the family's Hugh Circle home. Police have not confirmed how she was killed, but sources told AL.com she was stabbed to death. The house appeared to be in disarray, and a window was broken.
He murder was originally reported in July of 2013.
This is what his former church had to say:
January 2, 2014 All of us were saddened by the unexpected news that Richard Shahan was arrested by Homeland Security just moments before his planned flight departure for Frankfurt, Germany. There he was to assume his new role working with the Children's ministry of Bible Mission International, primarily in Kazakhstan.
As we know, on November 29 Richard announced his plans to pursue this mission ministry. His resignation from First Baptist Church of Birmingham was effective December 31, 2013.
Our Prayers go to out Richard and his family. We trust that eventually truth and justice can prevail.
It looks like Shahan’s former church does not believe that he murdered his wife or that he was attempting to escape justice.
