SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City police announced the arrest Wednesday of Shaun French, a suspect in the killing of 15-year-old Baleigh Bagshaw on Monday afternoon.
Police Sgt. Brandon Shearer said public tips and investigative work by homicide detectives led to officers in Colorado locating and arresting French, who had previously been named a person of interest.
“At this time he being held in Colorado until extradition can take place,” Shearer said. “We are naming him a suspect at this time in the homicide of Baleigh Bagshaw.”
Officers performing a welfare check found Bagshaw dead inside the home where she lived at 1628 W. 500 North shortly after 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon. The teen had called her mom after arriving home from school. The attack that claimed her life happened while she was still on the phone.
French had previously lived in the home as well, but was not doing so at the time of Bagshaw’s death. On Tuesday, police announced they had obtained a warrant for French on the charge of unlawful sexual acts with a minor.
“He’d had a previous sexual relationship with Baleigh,” Shearer said. “I don’t know the timeline of when the relationship occurred.”
Salt Lake police said French has family in Colorado, but it was not clear if he was staying there or headed to some other place.
Police have not revealed a cause of death for Bagshaw or offered a suspected motive for her killing. Formal charges related to Bagshaw’s death have not yet been filed.
“Any time you have a horrendous crime like this, it’s very sad not just for the people involved but especially for the family,” Shearer said.
Members of the Bagshaw family on Wednesday afternoon said their emotions were too raw to give any interviews. However, they said the community had already shown them tremendous support. Some people have even left flowers in honor of Baleigh.
Baleigh’s family has established a GoFundMe account to help cover her funeral costs.
