Share this @internewscast.com

SPARTANSBURG, Pa. — 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.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
US Coast Guard pursues third 'dark fleet' oil tanker as Trump targets Venezuelan sanctions evasion network

US Coast Guard Chases Another Hidden Oil Tanker Amid Trump’s Crackdown on Venezuelan Sanctions Evasion

The U.S. Coast Guard is actively chasing a sanctioned oil tanker near…
Colin Jost Gets Punked by Michael Che’s Brutal Christmas Joke Swap on ‘SNL’ 2025

Michael Che’s Hilarious Christmas Prank on Colin Jost: A Must-See SNL Moment!

For many seasons, Saturday Night Live co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che…
ISIS, Iran escalating global campaign against Jews, Israel spy chief says

Global Threat Alert: Iran & ISIS Intensify Anti-Jewish Campaign, Warns Israel’s Top Spy

Israel’s chief of national intelligence has issued a stark warning, highlighting the…
Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon remember Whitney Houston over 'Waiting to Exhale' 30-year anniversary reunion

Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon Reflect on Whitney Houston’s Legacy at 30th Anniversary Reunion of ‘Waiting to Exhale

LOS ANGELES — A beloved classic reaches a significant milestone as “Waiting…
Chicago holiday travelers: Thousands of travelers going through O'Hare, Midway airports, roads as Christmas travel rush begins

Chicago Sees Surge in Holiday Travelers as Christmas Rush Commences at O’Hare and Midway Airports

The bustling holiday travel period has commenced as countless individuals embark on…
San Francisco power outage puts 130,000 in the dark, as self-driving car service stops vehicles in the street

Massive San Francisco Power Outage Leaves 130,000 Residents in Darkness, Halts Self-Driving Car Services

A significant power outage swept across vast areas of San Francisco on…
Yale professor’s father charged in mother’s decades-old murder, says he ‘used me as bait’: report

Yale Professor’s Father Indicted in Decades-Old Murder Case Involving Mother; Allegedly Used Son in Scheme: Report

A Yale professor has broken her silence regarding her 81-year-old father’s arrest,…
Officials in Brown Shooting Take Victory Lap, but Response Is Brutal

Backlash Erupts as Officials Celebrate Controversial Verdict in Brown Shooting Case

The manhunt for Claudio Neves Valente, the suspect in the tragic Brown…
Elite Massachusetts boarding school rocked by teacher scandal and institutional cover-up allegations

Massachusetts Boarding School Faces Turmoil Amid Shocking Teacher Scandal and Allegations of Institutional Cover-Up

An esteemed girls’ boarding institution in Massachusetts, where annual tuition and boarding…
Manhunt underway in South Africa after gunmen open fire at tavern, killing 9 and wounding 10

Massive Search Launched in South Africa Following Deadly Tavern Shooting with 9 Dead, 10 Injured

In a tragic incident early Sunday, nine individuals lost their lives and…
New text messages fuel Alex Murdaugh's push for new trial

Legal Twist: Could Court Clerk’s Misconduct Open the Door for a Murdaugh Retrial?

Alex Murdaugh’s defense team has expressed a sense of “cautious optimism” regarding…
Abdul Carter's brutal penalty wipes out pick-six in Giants' loss

Costly Penalty by Abdul Carter Nullifies Key Interception in Giants’ Defeat

Abdul Carter’s performance was noteworthy in the Giants’ recent game, yet it…