Current:Home > MarketsAn arrest has been made in the slaying of a pregnant Amish woman in Pennsylvania -MarketStream
An arrest has been made in the slaying of a pregnant Amish woman in Pennsylvania
View
Date:2025-04-14 12:23:53
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! (3277)
Related
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- 15 abandoned dogs rescued from stolen U-Haul at Oregon truck stop, police say
- Endless shrimp and other indicators
- Lifetime's 'Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas' has decadence, drama, an epic food fight
- Big Lots store closures could exceed 300 nationwide, discount chain reveals in filing
- Taylor Swift’s Rep Slams Joe Alwyn Marriage Rumors
- It's time for Christmas music! 50 of the best songs to get you in the holiday spirit
- Astronomers discover rare sight: 6 planets orbiting star in 'pristine configuration'
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- A bus driver ate gummies containing THC, then passed out on highway. He’s now on probation
Ranking
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Has COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber Used the UN Climate Summit to Advance the Interests of UAE’s Oil Company?
- Where to watch 'A Christmas Story': Streaming info, TV channel showtimes, cast
- Semitruck failed to slow down before deadly Ohio crash, state report says
- Paris Olympics live updates: Quincy Hall wins 400m thriller; USA women's hoops in action
- Judge rejects Trump’s claim of immunity in his federal 2020 election prosecution
- Hezbollah and Israeli troops exchange fire along the border as 2 people are killed in Lebanon
- Candle Day sale at Bath & Body Works is here: The $9.95 candle deal you don't want to miss
Recommendation
Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
Protester critically injured after setting self on fire outside Israeli consulate in Atlanta
Court pauses federal policy allowing abortion clinic operators to get grants -- but only in Ohio
This week on Sunday Morning (December 3)
Organizers cancel Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna over fears of an attack
Officials: Detroit paramedic who struck parked vehicles was under influence of alcohol
A yoga leader promised followers enlightenment. But he’s now accused of sexual abuse
Las Vegas police search for suspect after 5 homeless people are shot, killing 2