TOPEKA, Kan. — A man accused of a horrifying double murder and the abduction of a two-year-old child is now being held on a $10,000,000 bond, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay announced this week.
The suspect, 32-year-old Christopher Barnshaw, faces multiple serious charges following a shocking chain of events that began on the morning of July 22 in Topeka. Officers responded to a welfare check at a residence in the 500 block of Northeast Wabash Avenue just before 10 a.m. Upon entering the home, police discovered two adults—Sean E. Thornton, 55, and Ashley T. Brown, 29—dead at the scene. A two-year-old child, believed to be connected to the household, was missing, prompting an immediate AMBER Alert.
Working in coordination with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), authorities quickly expanded the search. Just hours later, law enforcement in Mattoon, Illinois, located the missing child safe and took Barnshaw into custody around 12:25 p.m.
Barnshaw now faces multiple charges, including:
- Two counts of first-degree murder
- Aggravated burglary
- Aggravated endangering of a child
- Kidnapping
District Attorney Kagay confirmed that Barnshaw’s bond is set at $10 million, reflecting the gravity of the crimes. He also stated that efforts are underway to extradite Barnshaw back to Kansas, but the legal process could take several months.
The deaths of Thornton and Brown mark the 13th and 14th homicide investigations in Topeka for 2025, underscoring a deeply troubling trend in the Capital City.
As the case develops, officials are urging the public to come forward with any information that may aid the ongoing investigation.
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