According to court documents that were made public on Monday, an Amish man discovered his pregnant wife dead in the middle of a brutal murder scene in their home in the northwest region of Pennsylvania.
An application for a search warrant and an affidavit of probable cause indicated that Andy Byler and Julie Warner, who had called 911, had just entered his home in Sparta Township on the previous Monday when they discovered the death of Rebekah A. Byler, who was 23 years old.
In the court record, which was filed by State Police Trooper Adam Black, it is stated that the victim was discovered "laying on her back in a pool of blood in the living room of the residence."
The police who responded discovered that her throat had been cut, and they also discovered "a scalping wound to her head," as stated in the court document.
Shawn C. Cranston, 52, of Corry, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody by state police and detained on suspicion of criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. He was arrested on these charges.
Shawn C. Cranston, 52, of Corry, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody by state police and detained on suspicion of criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. He was arrested on these charges.
Despite the fact that Byler's two children, ages 2 and 3, were present in the house when her body was found, the police have stated that they were not injured in the violent assault on their mother.
As of Monday at noon, Cranston had neither yet recruited a criminal defense attorney nor had one been assigned to the company.
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