Suspect Arrested in Murder of Pregnant Amish Woman: Report
BREAKTHROUGH
Pennsylvania State Police have reportedly arrested a 52-year-old man for the murder of 23-year-old pregnant Amish woman Rebekah Byler. WKBN reported that Shawn Cranston of Corry, Pennsylvania was being charged with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. The station said he was arraigned just before 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning and is being held without bail at the Crawford County Jail. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 15. On Feb. 26 police were called after Byler’s husband, Andy, and another person returned to the home and found her unresponsive. Rebekah Byler, who was six months pregnant, reportedly had fatal wounds to her head and neck. The Byler’s two young children were found in the home unharmed, Trooper Cynthia Schick said Thursday. She said an autopsy had given police an idea of what the murder weapon was but they did not have it in their possession. The case has rocked the Amish community in the small Sparta Township in Crawford County, just outside of the borough of Spartansburg and about 35 miles southeast of Erie, Pennsylvania.