SHAWNEE COUNTY —A man accused of kidnapping his nephew after killing his sister and father has been deemed unfit to stand trial, according to Shawnee County District Court records.
Christopher Barnstall, 32, was charged with first degree murder and kidnapping in the deaths of 55-year-old Sean Thornton, and 29-year-old Ashley Brown in July
On August 30, Christopher K. Barnshaw, 32, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, according to online jail records.
He was being held on a $10,000,000 bond on requested charges of Murder in the 1st degree; Intentional and premeditated, Aggravated burglary; Dwelling for felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime and Endangering A Child and Kidnapping; In Flight Or The Commission Of Any Crime, according to online jail records.
Just after noon on July 22, police in Mattoon, Illinois, were notified that a suspect in a kidnapping incident in Topeka was possibly in their city, according to a media release from police.
Police in Topeka reported that Barshaw was believed to be a suspect in the death of a man and woman the 500 Block of NE Wabash in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Daniel Garrett. Barnshaw was also believed to have taken a child of one of the victims and fled the area. He was reported to be driving a Lexus passenger vehicle bearing Kansas License 4003AHF.
At 12:16p.m. a police officer in Mattoon, who was actively on a traffic stop on Route 16 observed the suspect vehicle pass him. The officer cleared from the traffic stop and began following the suspect in the Lexus eastboun toward Charleston, Illinois. After several other officers arrived in the area, they conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle at the intersection of Route 16 and Beechtree Road. Barnshaw was take into custody without incident.
During the arrest, officers found a firearm concealed on Barnshaw. The 2-year-old boy who was the subject of the Amber Alert was in the back seat unharmed.
Barnstall is due back in court in February, according to the Shawnee County District Attorney's office.
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