Infignos Media - Prosecutors: Homewood pastor Richard Shahan was flying to Europe to marry boyfriend

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Prosecutors: Homewood pastor Richard Shahan was flying to Europe to marry boyfriend

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Prosecutors told a judge Thursday that former Homewood pastor Richard Shahan was on his way to marry his boyfriend when he was arrested in Nashville.

The Jefferson County District Attorney's office made the revelation at a bond hearing in front of Judge Shelly Watkins.

Shahan is charged with murdering his wife Karen Shahan on July 23, 2013 at the couple's home on Hugh Circle in Homewood.

Two weeks after her death, Richard Shahan was brought in for questioning by the Homewood police, but was later released.

Court records show that Karen Shahan was stabbed several times and cut with a knife.

In the wake of of his wife's death, Shahan took a leave of absence from his position as children's minister at First Baptist Church of Birmingham. He announced his resignation on Nov. 29, and shared his intentions to pursue mission work overseas.

During the hearing the prosecutors said that Shahan was stopped in Nashville to take a flight to Frankfurt, Germany on his way to ultimate destination of Kazakhstan.

Prosecutors claim that Shahan's motive for the trip was to marry his boyfriend.

They also stated that Shahan had $27,000 in foreign currency on him when he was stopped at the Nashville airport.

Shahan's attorneys were asking for him to be released on a maximum of $30,000 bond.

At the end of Thursday's hearing, Shahan was released on a $100,000 bond and must remain on home monitoring.

Shahan's preliminary hearing to determine if the case will go to the Jefferson County Grand Jury is scheduled for February 5, 2014.

RELATED COVERAGE: Preliminary hearing set for former Homewood pastor charged with murder Jan. 14, 2014 Richard Shahan asks for $30,000 bond on murder charge Jan. 10, 2014 Former Homewood pastor Richard Shahan appears before Jefferson County Judge Jan. 9, 2014 Former Homewood pastor suspected in wife's murder is back in Jefferson County Jan. 8, 2014 Homewood pastor Shahan won't fight extradition in wife's murder Jan. 7, 2014 ATTORNEY: Homewood pastor would have turned himself in Jan. 3, 2014 Former Homewood minister charged in wife's murder, arrested trying to flee country Jan. 2, 2014 Update: Local minister released from jail after being questioned for wife's murder Aug. 9, 2013 Pastor held after questioning in his wife's death Aug. 8, 2013 Visitation for Homewood pastor's wife found dead today July 27, 2013 Homewood homicide investigated Tuesday; victim identified July 24, 2013 Homewood homicide victim identified as pastor's wife July 24, 2013

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Keywords: Homewood pastor ,Richard Shahan ,Nashville,Tn.,Jefferson County Al., Karen Shahan ,First Baptist Church of Birmingham,

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