As a decade approaches since the tragic killing of Christian Bagley in Hereford, his family continues to grapple with profound loss and unanswered questions. The pain is felt most deeply by his daughter, who was just 19 months old when her father was taken from her in a violent attack that remains unsolved to this day.
Christian Bagley was stabbed to death while walking home on the night of Father’s Day in 2015. He had spent the day with his young daughter before making his way home along the path known locally as ‘The Lines’, adjacent to the River Wye. The attack occurred near a set of concrete steps on Villa Street. Despite suffering critical injuries, Mr Bagley managed to reach Charles Witts Avenue where residents tried desperately to help. However, emergency services who responded swiftly were unable to save his life and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The murder weapon, a kitchen carving knife found deeply lodged in his arm, was collected as evidence, though a crucial part — the broken handle — was never found. Over the course of the subsequent investigation, police made several arrests, but all those detained were released without charge. As the years have gone by, Mr Bagley’s family has faced the painful reality that, to date, nobody has been brought to justice for his killing.
Approaching the tenth anniversary of his unsolved murder, Mr Bagley’s daughter, now twelve, has articulated the enduring impact of her loss in a poignant letter. Shared with the public as part of a renewed appeal by police and the charity Crimestoppers, her words lay bare the long-term effects of violent crime on those left behind. “Somebody taking my dad away from me when I was little is something that can never be replaced,” she reflected. She described the “emptiness that should not be inside me because somebody murdered my dad,” a void she says will remain for the rest of her life.
The emotional letter also highlights the everyday absences that mark her childhood — memories never formed, milestones left unshared, and no opportunity to celebrate Father’s Day, Christmas, or birthdays with her dad. “I [was] never given the chance to get to know him or for him to watch me grow up,” she wrote, underlining the cruel consequences when justice remains elusive.
Christian’s mother, Janette Bagley, spoke out about the devastation her family has endured, emphasising that the pain has not only touched his parents and siblings but also reverberated amongst a wider circle of relatives and friends. She issued a heartfelt plea to anyone who might know the identity of those responsible or might be shielding them out of loyalty or fear. “Are you going to do the right thing and let this family have some peace?” she asked, urging anyone with knowledge to step forward to help the family finally grieve and have some closure.
In an effort to reignite the investigation, Crimestoppers has announced a reward of £20,000 for information that leads directly to a conviction in the case. Police are once again calling on members of the public who may have been in the area of Villa Street, Hunderton Bridge, or the Great Western Way on the night of 21 June 2015, or who may hold any information — however inconsequential it may seem — to come forward. Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Lougher of West Mercia Police stated, “We remain determined to find those responsible and bring them to justice. Your information could be the key.”
For those wishing to share information anonymously, Crimestoppers is accessible via telephone and online forms, with details available on their website. Those providing information must use a reward code system to be eligible for the financial incentive, and tips need to be submitted directly to Crimestoppers rather than the police to qualify for the reward.
As the years wear on, the Bagley family’s suffering is a sobering reminder of the enduring pain caused by unsolved violent crime — pain that cannot be measured only by the years that have passed, but by the memories and milestones forever missed.
The renewed appeal presents an opportunity for anyone with information to break their silence and, in doing so, provide a grieving family with the answers — and perhaps the peace — so long denied.
Anyone with information in connection to Christian Bagley’s death is urged to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their online platform, ensuring a reward code is requested should they wish to claim the reward. The hope amongst loved ones and investigators alike is that, even after so much time, justice for Christian Bagley remains within reach.