“Somebody taking my dad away from me when I was little is something that can never be replaced,” she wrote in a handwritten letter released by West Mercia Police this week. “I was never given the chance to get to know him.”
Her words are raw and piercing:
“There’s an emptiness that should not be inside me because somebody murdered my dad. That void within myself will always be there.”
She went on to describe the pain of missed milestones:
“I’ll never be able to spend Father’s Day, Christmas Day, or a birthday with my dad.”
$27,000 Reward Offered as 10-Year Anniversary Nears
As the 10th anniversary of Bagley’s death approaches, Crimestoppers has announced a reward of £20,000 (approximately $27,000) for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Lougher of West Mercia Police renewed the department’s appeal for public help, saying the child’s letter may stir the conscience of someone who has stayed silent.
“We hope this heartfelt message from Christian’s daughter will prick the conscience of someone carrying a burden of knowledge,” he said. “After 10 years, loyalties and allegiances may have changed. We hope anyone who knows something will do the right thing.”
Bagley was walking along the Great Western Way footpath—locally known as “The Lines”—when he was ambushed and stabbed. Despite managing to run to Charles Witts Avenue to seek help, he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators revealed that the knife used in the attack had snapped, with the blade lodged in Bagley’s arm and the handle left behind at the crime scene.
A Decade of Questions, But No Charges
In the years since the murder, police have arrested multiple individuals and gathered thousands of witness statements, but no one has ever been charged. The case remains one of Hereford’s most haunting unsolved crimes.
Christian’s mother, Janette “Jan” Bagley, also issued a plea this week, describing her son as a deeply kind and selfless person.
“Christian was the kindest person you would ever meet. If I was across the water, he’d have walked across it just to help us,” she said. “He loved his daughter—his daughter was his life.”
Her voice cracked with emotion as she added:
“Please, somebody somewhere knows something. Tell me why you did this to my boy.”
Police Renew Appeal
Authorities are urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward, no matter how much time has passed. Information can be submitted via the Major Incident Public Portal or anonymously through Crimestoppers.
“Christian’s daughter deserves answers. His family deserves peace,” DCI Lougher said. “Justice may be delayed—but it doesn’t have to be denied.”