Richard Shahan, pastor arrested for murdering his wife
A Christian pastor was arrested for the murder of his wife after he was attempting to board a plane to Germany.
Police believe that Richard Shahan, age 53, was attempting to flee to Russia by way of Germany when Homeland Security ICE agents caught him before he boarded an airplane out of the country, WTVF-TV reported.
“Once he got over to Germany or Russia, the chances of extraditing him are pretty nil,” Homewood Police Chief Jim Roberson told reporters. “We can’t get Snowden back, probably wouldn’t get him back either.”
Shahan was flying out of the Nashville airport when he was stopped by police. He will make his first court appearance at an extradition hearing on Tuesday.
“I think he was totally shocked when they pulled him out of line and detained him,” said Roberson.
Shahan’s wife Karan was found stabbed to death in their home on July 23.
After the murder Shahan was taken into “investigative” custody for 48 hours and questioned by police but never charged.
Authorities now say that inconsistencies in the case caused new questions and led to an arrest warrant being issued earlier this week. While investigators have established motive, it has not yet been shared publicly.
“It will become readily apparent as we move into the trial process,” Homewood police Chief Jim Roberson said during a press conference Thursday, according to The Birmingham News.
“There are very few new details of which we can go into great elaboration because it is an ongoing investigation.”
Shahan was a pastor at First Baptist Church of Birmingham until he resigned on Dec. 31, the day the new arrest warrant was issued.
“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,” read a statement on the church’s Facebook page.
