Current:Home > InvestAn arrest has been made in the slaying of a pregnant Amish woman in Pennsylvania -EliteFunds
An arrest has been made in the slaying of a pregnant Amish woman in Pennsylvania
View
Date:2025-04-14 20:29:35
SPARTANSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man was arrested Saturday and charged with the slaying of a pregnant Amish woman whose body was found last week.
Shawn C. Cranston, 52, of Corry, has been charged with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary and criminal trespass, Pennsylvania State Police said.
He was denied bail at a preliminary arraignment early Saturday morning and is being held at the Crawford County jail. Online court records show a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 15; they do not list a defense attorney.
Calls and emails to state police, the district attorney and public defender’s offices were not immediately returned Saturday morning.
Cranston’s arrest comes less than a week after authorities found the body of Rebekah A. Byler, 23, in the living room of her home a few miles from Spartansburg.
Police said she appeared to have cutting wounds to her neck and head.
The killing shocked the rural community in northwestern Pennsylvania, where people say the Amish get along well with their neighbors in the area.
Police began their investigation Feb. 26 after Byler’s husband, Andy Byler, found her body inside the home shortly after noon.
Trooper Cynthia Schick told The Associated Press on Thursday the investigation and autopsy have given police an idea of what murder weapon may have been used.
Two young Byler children at the home were not harmed, Schick has said.
The Bylers’ home is located along a dirt road in a very remote farming area. Scores of Amish turned out for calling hours Thursday evening at a home in the community. Many arrived by buggies lit by headlights along the narrow country roads.
Residents said the Amish had a longstanding presence in the area and mix well with the surrounding community. Amish and non-Amish visit each other’s homes, and the Amish work jobs for the non-Amish and attend events like the fish fries, they said. Neighbors have been raising money to help the Byler family.
The Amish generally follow basic Christian beliefs and practices but are not homogeneous, according to the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. They are known for simple clothing and for relying on horses and buggies for transportation. Local congregations maintain a variety of rules and restrictions regarding dress, the use of technology and participation in American society.
The overall Amish population is nearly 400,000 people in hundreds of settlements across 32 states, Canada and Bolivia. Pennsylvania has one of the greatest concentrations of Amish.
veryGood! (23795)
Related
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Former national park worker in Mississippi pleads guilty to theft
- Vote sets stage for new Amtrak Gulf Coast service. But can trains roll by Super Bowl?
- Olympic Pole Vaulter Anthony Ammirati Offered $250,000 From Adult Website After
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Kamala Harris' vice president pick Tim Walz has a history of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé fandom
- Ex-Illinois deputy shot Sonya Massey out of fear for his life, sheriff's report says
- The stock market plunged amid recession fears: Here's what it means for your 401(k)
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Judge dismisses most claims in federal lawsuit filed by Black Texas student punished over hairstyle
Ranking
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Spain vs. Brazil highlights: Brazil holds off comeback, will play for Olympic gold
- For Hindu American youth puzzled by their faith, the Hindu Grandma is here to help.
- A soda sip-off or an election? Tim Walz, JD Vance fight over the 'Mountain Dew Belt'
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- Duane Thomas, who helped Dallas Cowboys win Super Bowl VI, dies at 77
- Enjoy this era of U.S. men's basketball Olympic superstars while you still can
- E! Exclusive Deal: Score 21% off a Relaxing Aromatherapy Bundle Before Back-to-School Stress Sets In
Recommendation
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
E! Exclusive Deal: Score 21% off a Relaxing Aromatherapy Bundle Before Back-to-School Stress Sets In
People with sensitive stomachs avoid eating cherries. Here's why.
Texas man to be executed for strangling mother of 3 says it's 'something I couldn't help'
Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
Indiana’s completion of a 16-year highway extension project is a ‘historic milestone,’ governor says
USWNT coach Emma Hayes calls Naomi Girma the 'best defender I've ever seen — ever'
Astros' Framber Valdez loses no-hitter with two outs in ninth on Corey Seager homer