A Crawford County jury took just three hours to convict 53-year-old Shawn Cranston on Thursday for the brutal murder of 23-year-old Rebekah Byler, a pregnant Amish woman killed during a home burglary last winter.
Cranston, a truck driver from Corry, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder of an unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. The jury rejected his defense’s argument after prosecutors presented overwhelming evidence, including testimony from an inmate who claimed Cranston confessed to the killing.
According to trial testimony, Cranston told the inmate that Byler screamed upon discovering him in her Sparta Township home. “He spun her around and started choking her. She didn’t pass out, so he slit her throat. He said she didn’t die quickly enough, so he shot her,” the inmate recounted.
Byler’s two young children were home during the attack but were unharmed. Her husband discovered her body two hours later. The murder sent shockwaves through the small Amish community, located about 35 miles southeast of Erie. Pennsylvania Attorney General David W. Sunday Jr. condemned Cranston’s actions in a statement, calling the crime “truly evil.”
According to the statement:
Prosecutors presented testimony about key pieces of evidence, including a piece of a glove found at the home containing Cranston’s DNA; shoe prints and vehicle tire treads that matched Cranston’s shoes and vehicle; and GPS data from Cranston’s vehicle that placed him at the scene. An autopsy showed Byler, 23, died of sharp force injuries and a gunshot wound to the head.
“Our homes are supposed to be our safe haven—this defendant violated the sanctity of home to commit these heinous acts,” Sunday said. He praised investigators and prosecutors for securing justice despite the gruesome nature of the case. Prosecutors called 24 witnesses, including forensic experts and Byler’s husband.
Cranston’s defense argued that the lack of blood evidence on his clothing and vehicle should raise doubt, but the jury dismissed the claim. Cranston, who faces life in prison, will be sentenced in late July. The case has left a lasting impact on the rural community, where violent crime is rare.