AL - Karen Shahan, 53, murdered, Homewood, 23 July 2013 #1

[MissJ]

Justice for Karen

 

[singers]

I just read a news article/blog that says he spent the last year in Kazakstan. He would have been away from his wife for most of the year. My question is, what else did he do there and what women did he meet.

 

[ClemiFern]

I just read a news article/blog that says he spent the last year in Kazakstan. He would have been away from his wife for most of the year. My question is, what else did he do there and what women did he meet.

Don't remember the article I read but there was one that mentioned a lady who was there and she came back to Bham. I believe it said she was the interpreter while he was there. I don't know all the specifics but one of the earlier articles briefly mentioned something about this person...not connecting her to him...just a mention. I had wondered about that myself.

I've been meaning to go back and read through the earlier MSM articles that came out the following days and about a week after the murder because this has been bugging me.

 

[i.b.nora]

I posted about it a couple of times in this very thread. It wasn't so much in the news articles as her visit to the church was mentioned in their newsletter. I linked to it.

 

[SmoothOperator]

At the link below you'll find the PDF of May 2012 FBC Newsletter with detailed info on RS trips to Kazakhstan along with interpreter(2 trips already taken as of 5/2012).. Also details about his upcoming trip to Kazakhstan with the interpreter scheduled for Fall of 2012. More info and photos at link below -->>

Link to PDF:
fbcbirmingham.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/.../MAY-NEWSLETTER.pdf

*corrected dates

 

[ClemiFern]

At the link below you'll find the PDF of May 2012 FBC Newsletter with detailed info on RS trips to Kazakhstan along with interpreter(2 trips already taken as of 5/2012).. Also details about his upcoming trip to Kazakhstan with the interpreter scheduled for Fall of 2012. More info and photos at link below -->>

Link to PDF:
fbcbirmingham.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/.../MAY-NEWSLETTER.pdf

*corrected dates

Thank you for posting that link. I found it earlier and read it but failed to post it. I, too, noticed that he has an upcoming trip to Kazakhstan planned for this fall. I wonder if the church will go ahead and send him there since he's on administrative leave? If he's allowed to leave the area, they might look at it as a way to keep him working for his salary while keeping him somewhat distanced from the church for a few months. IDK.

Also, he's had the same Russian interpreter on every trip...things that make you go hmmmmm ...

 

[txsvicki]

Does she live in the other country or here? I'm sure detectives question everyone they can and check internet, emails, etc. It would be interesting to know if anything, such as a laptop, was stolen from the home.

 

[Sulamith]

I wonder if a search warrant was obtained so LE could search the church office computers. Since RS was held by LE and not cleared, I would be surprised that he would be allowed to leave the country, especially to Kazakhstan. I would bet any other person that was questioned/not cleared in this murder case would not be able to leave the country either. That is just my guess. MOO

OT I know here on WS we are pretty good at adding IMO, MOO after our posts. I was posting on another forum and added MOO. Some poor lady called me on it, she thought I was calling her a cow! I explained. It is just by habit now that I add MOO to my posts.The few other forums I post at do not require it. I thought it was funny and it took me a minute or so to figure out why she thought I was calling her a cow!

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

[/B]

BBM According to this article from AL.Com, http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/08/the_rev_richard_shahan_jailed.html RS had his own company and had his own business enterprises. I wonder if LE are contacting every place where he worked, and the churches he worked for and any possible private business associates he might have had. There was their bankruptcy filing so it is possible he owed a private individual money also. If he did, that person might be bent on revenge. And what is worse than murdering a person's family member? The saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold.

Might be LE is checking into all that and that is what is taking so long?
Or, seems to be taking so long. :moo:

Somewhat O/T but in many non-clegical positions that involve the intake of funds, that of being a role-model, or a role that has ethical/fiduciary responsibilities---> you can not have a bankruptcy or poor credit score.
Just sayin'....

 

[singers]

Does she live in the other country or here? I'm sure detectives question everyone they can and check internet, emails, etc. It would be interesting to know if anything, such as a laptop, was stolen from the home.

She is from there. But even if it's not her, for a guy who people would think was successful a lot of women at the university or anywhere else would think of him as a "catch." I bet he met someone there. Young girls would be interested in their ticket to the USA.
I'm not sure if I can link to a blog, but it was one of the top hits googling Karen's name but... It said they were in over $100,000 credit card debt. This is a guy who likes to live flashy IMO.

I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted Karen out of the way so he could later bring in his new love. In his line of work divorce probably isn't possible if you want to stay in ministry.

If I were his chuch I would not be happy to have him on staff in Kazakhstan, and surely the police will wonder if he will even come back to the USA.

MOO

 

[Sulamith]

She is from there. But even if it's not her, for a guy who people would think was successful a lot of women at the university or anywhere else would think of him as a "catch." I bet he met someone there. Young girls would be interested in their ticket to the USA.
I'm not sure if I can link to a blog, but it was one of the top hits googling Karen's name but... It said they were in over $100,000 credit card debt. This is a guy who likes to live flashy IMO.

I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted Karen out of the way so he could later bring in his new love. In his line of work divorce probably isn't possible if you want to stay in ministry.

If I were his chuch I would not be happy to have him on staff in Kazakhstan, and surely the police will wonder if he will even come back to the USA.

MOO

BBM From what I know, a lot of clergy cannot be remarried after a divorce. But IDK about a widower. If a clergy member did bring in a new love after the death of the wife..wouldn't that be way too obvious? Subject to questioning by the congregation? The new love should be found a few years after the death of a spouse, not somebody the spouse met while still married. MOO RS's church website states he is the Children and Families Pastor and Facilities Director. What is he doing in Kazakhstan? I am not his religion so IDK. IMO, I don't think Ms Shahan's death has any thing to do with the lady interpreter. Or any lady for that matter. Like I posted before, I hope this does not end up a cold case. http://fbcbirmingham.org/staff/richard/

 

[ClemiFern]

BBM From what I know, a lot of clergy cannot be remarried after a divorce. But IDK about a widower. If a clergy member did bring in a new love after the death of the wife..wouldn't that be way too obvious? Subject to questioning by the congregation? The new love should be found a few years after the death of a spouse, not somebody the spouse met while still married. MOO RS's church website states he is the Children and Families Pastor and Facilities Director. What is he doing in Kazakhstan? I am not his religion so IDK. IMO, I don't think Ms Shahan's death has any thing to do with the lady interpreter. Or any lady for that matter. Like I posted before, I hope this does not end up a cold case. http://fbcbirmingham.org/staff/richard/

I grew up Southern Baptist like many other posters on this thread and I am not aware of any rule that says a pastor can't remarry. Maybe my churches growing up didn't follow all the rules...lol.

 

[EllaMae]

IMHO....

Behind Karen's murder lies ego, another woman....and the pressing need for money. I believe the husband had a lot of good people fooled.

I doubt the husband was held by HPD for no reason. They must think he did it...they may even know he did it or was the one behind it, but they can't prove it...yet. The DA is probably telling them there isn't enough evidence to convict...yet.

My money is on LE. I believe they will find something, or someone, who will break the case.

 

[TREBLE]

I'm also worried this will become a cold case. HPD is a smaller force...known more for dealing with basic speeding tickets, local robberies etc. While they may "know" who is responsible, I worry they don't have the expertise to "prove" it. Just my opinion of course.

 

[singers]

I grew up Southern Baptist like many other posters on this thread and I am not aware of any rule that says a pastor can't remarry. Maybe my churches growing up didn't follow all the rules...lol.

I spent many years attending Christian churches, divorce was frowned upon for both congregation and especially pastors. In some denominations you cannot be a pastor if you are divorced. I'm from Australia though so it may be different in the US.

So if you are a Pastor who wants a divorce so you can get together with someone else, your career is over - at least for a few years. Some of them take time out and re emerge in a different church.

 

[Sulamith]

IMHO....

Behind Karen's murder lies ego, another woman....and the pressing need for money. I believe the husband had a lot of good people fooled.

I doubt the husband was held by HPD for no reason. They must think he did it...they may even know he did it or was the one behind it, but they can't prove it...yet. The DA is probably telling them there isn't enough evidence to convict...yet.

My money is on LE. I believe they will find something, or someone, who will break the case.

IMO..a woman is not involved.. A lot of men have affairs even Christian men..they repent with their wives at their sides. Forgiveness..I am probably wrong, but I just do not see that a Christian man would kill his wife for another woman. After all, Jerry Swaggart was forgiven., Jim Bakker was forgiven. Books are written about how an affair brought the couple closer together. What is bad is a Ted Haggard scenario. I hope i am wrong. :moo:

 

[txsvicki]

There have been a couple of Baptist preachers and other preachers on the crime shows who were charged with killing wives for other women. They mainly seemed to use overdoses, drowning or staging a car wreck though.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

I'm also worried this will become a cold case. HPD is a smaller force...known more for dealing with basic speeding tickets, local robberies etc. While they may "know" who is responsible, I worry they don't have the expertise to "prove" it. Just my opinion of course.

:wagon: TREBLE! :wagon:

Thanks for posting!

Just a thought... could the LE be waiting to bring the information they have to the Grand Jury to see if they can proceed with the case? :waitasec:

:seeya:

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

I spent many years attending Christian churches, divorce was frowned upon for both congregation and especially pastors. In some denominations you cannot be a pastor if you are divorced. I'm from Australia though so it may be different in the US.

So if you are a Pastor who wants a divorce so you can get together with someone else, your career is over - at least for a few years. Some of them take time out and re emerge in a different church.

Hmmmm...

maybe he wants to re-emerge in the country he has been visiting so frequently?
(sorry... Can't remember the name...:blushing

:dunno:

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Hmmmm...

maybe he wants to re-emerge in the country he has been visiting so frequently?
(sorry... Can't remember the name...:blushing

:dunno:

Sorry to quote my post... But the country is Kazakhstan...