Slain West High student remembered as 'sweet' and friendly
Co-workers say Baleigh Bagshaw always had a smile on her face.
"She was really sweet," said Gwendolyn Robinson. "She worked very hard. She was a good girl."
If the 15-year-old was going to be late for work, she would always call, her co-workers at Leatherby's Family Creamery said. Even on Monday, her mother called to inform the store that Baleigh wouldn't be coming in because of a family "emergency," said Diana Ngyeun, who co-owns the store with her sister, Robinson.
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Baleigh arrived home, 1624 W. 500 North, from West High School just after 3 p.m. Monday and, responsible as always, called her mother to check in.
She was speaking with her mom when a man began assaulting her.
"While she was on the phone with her mother, she was brutally attacked while inside of her home. Her mother heard the attack going on and then the phone went dead. At that time, the mother called a neighbor to go check on Baleigh," Salt Lake Police Sgt. Brandon Shearer said.
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Shearer called it a "very violent attack," but police have not yet said how she died or if any weapons were involved. It was unknown Tuesday if the person who attacked Baleigh was already inside the house when she arrived at home or if he came in after.
Police did not release any information about what Baleigh may have told her mother while on the phone or whether her mother heard anything that could identify the attacker. When asked if Baleigh identified the man while on the phone, Shearer said, "Not that I'm aware of."
Police continued a nationwide search Tuesday for Shaun French, 24, whom they are calling a person of interest. Shearer said French should be considered "armed and dangerous."
Police confirmed Tuesday that French used to live in the same house as Baleigh and her family. Shearer declined to say how long or how recently French had lived there, but noted he was not living there at the time of Baleigh's death.
An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday afternoon for French, charging him with three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. The charges were filed in court but were sealed.
According to police, French and Baleigh had a consensual, though illegal relationship. Shearer did not know how long the relationship lasted.
Detectives believe French may be driving a 1991 Daihatsu Rocky SUV with Wyoming plate 19 13974. The camouflage-green paint job makes the car stand out, police said. They believe French may be traveling on I-80 to either Evanston, Wyoming; the Denver area; or Cleveland, Ohio. Shearer said French has family or contacts in each of those places.
