Shawn Cranston allegedly worked as a driver for an Amish neighbor of the Byler family — while the victim’s husband says he “confronted” someone matching the suspect’s description on his property just weeks before the murder.
New details have emerged in the grisly murder of a pregnant Amish woman in Pennsylvania.
Over the weekend, new court docs related to the slaying of 23-year-old Rebekah Byler — who was found “laying on her back in a pool of blood” in the living room of her family home by husband Andy Byler — were unsealed, giving more insight into the arrest of 52-year-old Shawn C. Cranston and his alleged behavior before the murder.
Byler was killed on February 26; her two children, ages 2 and 3, were home at the time of the murder. Cranston was arrested days later and charged with criminal homicide, criminal homicide of her unborn child, burglary and criminal trespassing.
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Through interviews with neighbors, via Penn Live, authorities learned Cranston worked as a driver for a man, William Byler, who lived about a mile away; it’s unclear whether William and the victim’s family are related.
Members of the Amish community don’t drive themselves and often hire drivers, and Cranston began working for the family after filling in for his son, who drove for them previously. According to the docs, William shared the family had “very odd experiences” with Cranston from December 2023 through mid-February 2024 — saying he would “randomly show up at their residence,” sometimes walking “aimlessly” around the property in all black clothes and carrying a gun. “His speech made no sense,” stated the docs, while William said he had “an uneasy feeling” about the suspect.
He also allegedly asked the family where they attended church and said he wanted to go with them. Though William only knew Cranston’s first name, authorities were able to figure out his identity after being provided his phone number by Byler.
Rebekah’s husband, Andy, also told authorities that he “confronted” a “suspicious person” matching Cranston’s description — white, bald, with a beard — who showed up at the house around 10pm two weeks before the murder. The man then asked about buying their home; Andy said he believed the man was driving a red vehicle.
Other neighbors also reported seeing Cranston in the area in the weeks before the murder.
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According to Fox News Digital, a search warrant was obtained for Cranston’s home, vehicle and DNA, citing evidence recovered from crime scene which were a match for items found at his residence.
One item at Cranston’s home was a pair of Nike AirForce One sneakers, after shoe prints resembling those sneakers were at the Byers home — and none of the Byers owned a pair. The victim’s 3-year-old son also told police his mother’s killer was wearing sneakers.
Police also found a rubber glove that matched the “material, color and grip ridge pattern” to what appeared to be a piece of glove found at the murder scene — and said the tire treads of the red Jeep Patriot which Cranston was known to drive matched marks left at the Byers home.
Among the other items retrieved from the Byler home by investigators: two shotguns, a rifle, ammo and casings, as well as a broken knife blade and handle, bone-handled knife, white bonnet, empty Mountain Dew bottle, a smoked cigarette and contents from a trash can.
Surveillance footage from across the street of his home also showed a man who looks like Cranston remove items from the Jeep to a camper, before starting a fire, on the day of the murder.
AP / NBC Affiliate
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Rebekah Byler was six months pregnant at the time of her murder. Her throat had been cut and while authorities initially noted seeing “a scalping wound to her head,” an autopsy confirmed it was actually a gunshot wound.
While no potential motive has yet been revealed by authorities, Cranston’s foster daughter initially suggested the murder was a case of mistaken identity. A woman who considered Cranston her “dad” and is now in her 20s told JET 24/FOX 66 she couldn’t picture him “being that cold-hearted monster.”
“As far as I know, he just wanted his grandson back,” she said, claiming a different Amish family lived in Byler’s home a few years ago and had adopted his grandson.
WNEP
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