COLES COUNTY, Illinois – A Kansas Amber Alert suspect, 32-year-old Christopher K. Barnshaw, is now in custody after being apprehended by police in Mattoon, Illinois. New details have emerged regarding the capture, which also led to the safe recovery of a two-year-old boy at the center of the alert.
The dramatic capture unfolded just after noon on Tuesday when Mattoon police were notified that a suspect in a Topeka kidnapping incident might be in their city. According to Topeka Police spokesperson Daniel Garrett, Barnshaw was believed to be connected to the deaths of a man and woman in the 500 block of NE Wabash in Topeka. Authorities also suspected Barnshaw had abducted a child belonging to one of the victims and fled the area in a Lexus passenger vehicle bearing Kansas License 4003AHF.
At precisely 12:16 p.m., a vigilant Mattoon police officer, who was conducting a traffic stop on Route 16, spotted the suspect vehicle passing by. The officer swiftly concluded the traffic stop and began pursuing the Lexus, which was heading eastbound toward Charleston, Illinois. As additional officers converged in the area, they successfully initiated a traffic stop on Barnshaw’s vehicle at the intersection of Route 16 and Beechtree Road. Barnshaw was taken into custody without incident.
During the arrest, officers discovered a concealed firearm on Barnshaw. Critically, the two-year-old boy who was the subject of the Amber Alert was found unharmed in the backseat of the vehicle.
Barnshaw is currently being held in the Coles County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Mattoon Police are actively collaborating with Topeka Police, and Barnshaw could face additional charges as the investigation progresses. Arrangements are underway to reunite the recovered child with a family member.
