‘STAY VIGILANT’

Police Have No Suspects in Chilling Murder of Pregnant Pennsylvania Amish Woman

The murder of Rebekah Byler, 23, shocked the typically quiet Pennsylvania Amish community.

There are no suspects in the murder of a 23-year-old Pennsylvania Amish woman who was six months pregnant, state police said Wednesday.

Rebekah Byler was found dead on Monday afternoon in the living room of her home in Spartansburg, a rural community in northwest Pennsylvania where there is a thriving Amish population, according to local station WJET.

Byler’s husband was reportedly away when her body was discovered by a close friend and relative. Her two young children were also found in the house unharmed.

State trooper Cynthia Schick said police were “aggressively investigating all possible leads,” in a statement to The Daily Beast. Schick told WJET that Byler’s autopsy shed some light on her killing, but she didn’t reveal how the young woman died.

“Keep being vigilant. This is a criminal homicide investigation. Practice safe procedures keep your doors locked, report any suspicious behavior of persons or vehicles whether it was past or current,” Schick advised the surrounding community.

Authorities also urged the public to come forward with any tips that could help the investigation. State Police Lt. Mark Weindorf said authorities are trying to reconstruct Byler’s actions and whereabouts in the 24 hours before her death, the Erie Times-News reported.

The crime shocked the community, where there hasn’t been a murder since 1993. That case also involved the grisly murder of an Amish woman, Katie Gingerich, who police said was disemboweled by her husband.

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Amanda YenBreaking News Intern

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