Man accused of child abduction, also suspect in Kansas double-murder, arrested in Mattoon

Mattoon and Topeka Police say Christopher Barnshaw, 42, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, with a child who was the subject of an Amber Alert.

By Will Stevenson

Capital City Now

July 23, 2025 3:54 pm

ContributedMattoon PoliceBarnshaw is facing preliminary charges of Aggravated Kidnapping and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, police said.

Mattoon, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A suspect in a double murder in Topeka, Kansas, has been arrested in Mattoon.

Mattoon and Topeka Police say Christopher Barnshaw, 42, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, with a child who was the subject of an Amber Alert.

The Topeka investigation started earlier Tuesday morning, said Chris Vallejo, Topeka Police Chief.

“The Topeka Police department responded…for a welfare check,” Vallejo said, at a Tuesday news conference. “Upon arrival, officers discovered two deceased individuals located inside a home — one adult female, and one adult male.”

The child — identified by Vallejo as Zabe Mendez, 2 — was in the backseat of Barnshaw’s car. Police say he was unharmed.

“Within the hour, our department was notified that Zabe was found safe in Mattoon, Illinois,” said Vallejo.

Mattoon Police say Barnshaw was pulled over on Route 16 outside of Mattoon, headed toward Charleston, after he allegedly passed another traffic stop.

On Tuesday, Vallejo said the relation of Mendez to the potential victims was still being investigated; but Mattoon Police said he is believed to be the child one of the victims.

Barnshaw is facing preliminary charges of Aggravated Kidnapping and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, police said. He’s in the Coles County Jail. Online court records are not yet available, so it’s not clear when he will be in court, or if he will be extradited back to Kansas.