PA - Rebekah Byler, 23, mother & six months pregnant, murdered, Crawford County, 26 Feb 2024 *Arrest*

[Cryptic]

If Cranston actually did confess to the killing, I'm sure LE and the DA would want to question this daughter and other family members and possibly even charge them in connection to the killing (a way to make them testify for the state)

I think that is possible in theory, but in practice using coerced or pressured testimony of one immediate relative against another might not be used much and perhaps restricted to high level terror charges.

In the end, the chances of pressured or coerced testimony against another immediate relative going "off rails" at the trial might make prosecutors leery of using it.

My guess is that if the prosecutor uses the testimony of a daughter or other family member, the person testifying must be willing to testify sans pressure.

 

[Joe Friday]

Yes, this, in addition to having been shot in the head. Absolute overkill. Those poor children had to see their mother like that. May her killer rot... JMO

I don't believe it has been disclosed how old the children were, I do think I recall reference to toddlers. Unless these kids were perhaps in cribs, I would think they were right there in the midst of things as far as the crime scene. Which is horrible to think about given the wounds this poor women suffered.

Thankfully they are likely too young to have lasting memories of what they have experienced regarding their mothers death.

JMO

 

[Joe Friday]

I think that is possible in theory, but in practice using coerced or pressured testimony of one immediate relative against another might not be used much and perhaps restricted to high level terror charges.

In the end, the chances of pressured or coerced testimony against another immediate relative going "off rails" at the trial might make prosecutors leery of using it.

My guess is that if the prosecutor uses the testimony of a daughter or other family member, the person testifying must be willing to testify sans pressure.

It wouldn't surprise me if the story about mistaken identity turns out to be accurate <modsnip: no source link>

JMO

 

[musicaljoke]

I don't believe it has been disclosed how old the children were, I do think I recall reference to toddlers. Unless these kids were perhaps in cribs, I would think they were right there in the midst of things as far as the crime scene. Which is horrible to think about given the wounds this poor women suffered.

Thankfully they are likely too young to have lasting memories of what they have experienced regarding their mothers death.

JMO

The children were two and three yrs old. Unimaginable, the horror they went through.

Man arrested for murder of Amish woman

Shawn Cranston, 52, from Corry, Pennsylvania was arrested today for allegedly murdering pregnant Rebekah Byler, 23, in her home on Monday

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[SteveP]

SC's Facebook page, linked earlier here, includes this statement on his bio...

His Facebook bio reads: 'I'm someone's worst nightmare if they mess with me and mine'.

Sounds like a man with a lot of pent up rage, doesn't it? And it seems like his pent up rage was released on someone he felt messed with "his", an innocent, peace-loving young woman. Clearly, someone was her worst nightmare. JMO

This case should be a slam dunk. JMO

 

[Dotta]

The brutality this poor woman was subjected to is terrifying!
I suspect some MH issues.
Like uncontrollable rage/amok.

Using a conspicuous car of his own to the crime scene is very telling also.

RIP to the victim.
Condolences to Family.

 

[iusedtofloat]

I admit that most of what I know about the Amish is from TV and movies, but would it be common for a married Amish man to be alone in the company of a female other than his wife or other family member? Not casting aspersions on anyone.

I grew up next door to an Amish couple. No, that would not be normal, unless it was a woman working alongside him in the stables or the like. (from my experience))

 

[RetLawyer]

I grew up next door to an Amish couple. No, that would not be normal, unless it was a woman working alongside him in the stables or the like. (from my experience))

The female friend had been driving Andy Byler where he needed to be so she was returning him home.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The new details were contained in a statement of probable cause filed by police on Feb. 26 to be able to search the woman’s home and property in Crawford County to look for evidence

Pregnant Amish woman killed in Pa. home had ‘scalping type wound’ on her head

Police have released few details about the shocking killing in Western Pa., but court records released Monday revealed additional information.

www.pennlive.com

Cranston allegedly slit the six-months-pregnant woman’s throat before shooting her in the head, the station said.

Foster daughter of Amish mom’s alleged killer says she could never picture her dad being a ‘cold-hearted monster’

“Like, I could never picture my dad being that cold-hearted monster,” said alleged killer Shawn Cranston’s distraught daughter. “Never in a million years.”

nypost.com

While the details that led law enforcement to Cranston’s door are currently scarce, Weindorf told the paper the defendant is known to the area’s Amish community. Hailing from the small town of Corry, Cranston lives roughly 10 miles north of the Byler residence. It is currently unknown if he knew the Bylers.

Man arrested for brutal killing of pregnant Amish mother of 2 in 'perplexing' crime

"It's not something that happens around here," a member of the community said. "We're worried about our Amish."

lawandcrime.com

 

[saoirselouise]

The female friend had been driving Andy Byler where he needed to be so she was returning him home.

the actor Jonathan Groff’s family are mennonite from this same area and he’s talked about how both of his parents would when he was growing up (and I assume still do) drive their Amish friends places, make calls for them, etc. It did not seem out of place to me whatsoever.

 

[24Roses]

I just wanted to mention that I actually subscribe to the Amish newspaper (The Budget) that comes from Ohio. Scribes write about various happenings in Amish communities. I often read about Amish and Mennonite families being foster parents and/or adopting. Sometimes it is written about the child going back to their biological family and how they will be missed.
Also, I did read rumors on social media before MSM interviewed SC's daughter about her belief about his grandson being adopted by an Amish family. I knew I couldn't mention it here though. I didn't read the rumor directly from SC's daughter though.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“The accused is not a member of the Amish community,” an official with the Pennsylvania State Police tells PEOPLE.

When asked how Cranston might have known the victim or the family, the official declined to comment, citing the pending investigation.

Suspect in Killing of Pregnant Pa. Woman Was 'Not a Member of Amish Community': Police

Shawn Cranston has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Rebekah A. Byler.

people.com

“An evident laceration was observed on the front side of [Rebekah Byler’s] neck in addition to a scalping type wound on her head,” according to a pair of Pennsylvania State Police warrants released by the court Monday.

Pregnant Amish woman killed in Pennsylvania home had ‘scalping type wound,’ slashed throat - WFIN Local News

Pennsylvania court documents reveal grisly new details in the murder of a pregnant Amish 23-year-old named Rebekah Byler found dead in her own home.

wfin.com

 

[Cryptic]

It has not been reported anywhere, AFAIK, that the suspect's grandson is the foster daughter's child. JMO

That makes sense.

The tone of the foster daughter's statements seemed to indicate that while she did not affirm the attack, she did not seem to oppose the idea of the suspect attempting to inquire about / locate the grandson at the home.

This could reinforce the possibility that the child is hers.

 

[Chimera]

BBM


Many people are familiar with Amish reluctance or refusal to become involved in court cases. However, the biggest issue is they believe they should not "take" someone to court, as in civil cases over money, possessions, etc. Murder is different, because it's the State taking the accused to court over a crime, not the Amish themselves going to count for financial gain. They still wish they didn't have to get involved, but I'm confident the Amish in this community have cooperated with the law as needed. What this lady being quoted by the reporter is saying, is that she's not interested in her 15 min of fame, or the money she might get paid for sharing jucy details. It IS the Daily Mail, after all! Smart lady.

Bbm.
True, but at least she did reference that the adopted grandchild was the perp's and hence this was a personal killing, per the dm link. I believe that was shared to the community at large to try and make sense of this terrible crime, and also to provide a possible motive ?
So I have to give her that much at least; it probably wasn't easy to divulge why the Amish think this murder might have happened ?
Omo.

 

[RetLawyer]

Bbm.
True, but at least she did reference that the adopted grandchild was the perp's and hence this was a personal killing, per the dm link. I believe that was shared to the community at large to try and make sense of this terrible crime, and also to provide a possible motive ?
So I have to give her that much at least; it probably wasn't easy to divulge why the Amish think this murder might have happened ?
Omo.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does BBM stand for?

 

[Chimera]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does BBM stand for?

Bolded By Me.

 

[RetLawyer]

Bolded By Me.

Thank you!

 

[Joe Friday]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does BBM stand for?

@RetLawyer Everything you could ever possibly want to know about the abbreviations everyone uses.

Websleuths Lingo

Thank you KaylynnCouture & ApotheKaren for updating list! :) AFAIC = As Far As I'm Concerned AFAIK = And For All I Know /As far as I know AFK = Away From Keyboard AFKBPOFPOPL = Association For Keeping Basement Party On Front Page Of Parking Lot AKA = Also Known As AI = Artificial Intelligence...

www.websleuths.com

 

[airportwoman]

I don't believe it has been disclosed how old the children were, I do think I recall reference to toddlers. Unless these kids were perhaps in cribs, I would think they were right there in the midst of things as far as the crime scene. Which is horrible to think about given the wounds this poor women suffered.

Thankfully they are likely too young to have lasting memories of what they have experienced regarding their mothers death.

JMO

I heard that the oldest one was a 4-year-old boy. Don't know about the age or gender of the other child.

 

[RetLawyer]

@RetLawyer Everything you could ever possibly want to know about the abbreviations everyone uses.

Websleuths Lingo

Thank you KaylynnCouture & ApotheKaren for updating list! :) AFAIC = As Far As I'm Concerned AFAIK = And For All I Know /As far as I know AFK = Away From Keyboard AFKBPOFPOPL = Association For Keeping Basement Party On Front Page Of Parking Lot AKA = Also Known As AI = Artificial Intelligence...

www.websleuths.com

Appreciate that!