Pennsylvania, March 6: In a harrowing incident, a pregnant Amish woman was found brutally murdered inside her home in Pennsylvania's Sparta Township. Rebekah Byler, 23, was discovered by her husband, Andy Byler, and a family friend, lying in a pool of blood in the living room. According to court documents, Rebekah had her throat slashed and suffered a "scalping-type wound" to her head.

According to multiple reports, the incident took place on February 26, when Andy Byler and the family friend, identified as Julie Warner, returned home to find Rebekah's lifeless body covered in a pool of blood in their home. Despite the gruesome nature of the crime, Rebekah's two young children, ages two and three, who were present in the house at the time, were unharmed. Authorities revealed that Rebekah, who was six months pregnant at the time of her death, had also sustained a gunshot wound. US Horror: Nurse Allegedly Replaces Fentanyl IV Bags With Tap Water in Oregon, 10 Dead.

As per the reports, the investigation uncovered three firearms, including a .22-caliber rifle and two shotguns, along with broken knife parts and other evidence at the crime scene. Following what the authorities call an exhaustive investigation, Pennsylvania State Police announced the arrest of Shawn Cranston, aged 52, in connection with the slaying. Cranston faces charges including criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary, and criminal trespass. He is currently held without bond at the Crawford County Jail. US Horror: Man Beats Five-Year-Old Daughter To Death While Consuming Drugs in New Hampshire, Body Still Missing; Prosecutors Reveal Gruesome Details.

Details surrounding the motive for the brutal killing remain unclear, with authorities citing ongoing investigations. However, the recovery of firearms and broken knife parts from the crime scene suggests a violent confrontation. Sparta Township, nestled in Crawford County, stands as a serene farming area just outside the borough of Spartansburg, about 35 miles southeast of Erie, Pennsylvania.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 06, 2024 06:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).