A man charged in the killing of a pregnant Amish woman inside her home in northwestern Pa. had served as a driver for her neighbor, according to new information revealed in court records released Saturday.
The records supporting murder charges against Shawn Cranston, 52, of Corry Pa., in the stabbing and shooting death of Rebekah Byler, 25, previously had been sealed.
Byler was killed the morning of February 26 at her home on Fish Flats Road in Sparta Township in Crawford County while her husband was being driven to several construction sites to take measurements for his job.
When the husband returned home with his driver several hours later, they found Byler dead.
She had sharp force injuries to her neck and a “scalping type wound” on her head that was later confirmed to be a gunshot wound during her autopsy, according to court documents.
The documents revealed Cranston had started driving for an Amish man who lived one mile away from Rebekah Byler’s home in December. Many Amish workers rely on drivers outside the community since they don’t drive vehicles.
According to court records:
Investigators found a shoe print inside the victim’s home after she was killed resembling a Nike Air Force One sneaker. Amish people traditionally do not wear Nike sneakers and no pairs of the shoes were found in their home, police said.
When police searched Cranston’s home, they found and confiscated a pair of white Nike Air Force One sneakers.
They also recovered some of Cranston’s clothing, five bank bags, a box of black nitrile gloves along with at least seven guns and lots of ammunition.
Among the evidence found at the murder scene, police picked up what appeared to be part of a rubber glove.
When police pulled Cranston’s trash after the killing, they say they found a black glove that matched the “material, color and grip ridge pattern” to the piece found at the murder scene, police said.
Byler’s two children, a 2-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy were at home when she was killed. The boy later told police a man in a green truck entered their home wearing sneakers and killed his mom, according to court records.
Two weeks prior to the killing, the victim’s husband said they saw a “suspicious person around their residence.” He said a white, bald man with a white beard came up to his home about 9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. and asked about purchasing the home.
The husband said he believed the man was driving a red vehicle.
Neighbors also saw a red vehicle in the area of Byler’s home on Feb. 16.
Video surveillance showed a red Jeep Patriot traveling in Sparta Township close to the Byler’s home about 9:10 a.m. the morning of the killing.
Police collected video surveillance from a building across the street from Cranston’s home that showed the red Jeep Patriot he had been known to drive left the home between 8:39 a.m. and 8:42 a.m. on Feb. 26, the day of the killing. The Jeep returned between 1:55 p.m. and 2:02 p.m.
From 2:02 p.m. until 5:15 p.m., a man matching Cranston’s description was “in and out of the vehicle with items in his hands.” He carried items from the Jeep to a camper, and then started a fire beside the camper. The camera across the street recorded smoke rolling into the air. Police noted in court records that criminal sometimes conceal or destroy evidence by fire.
Police interviewed relatives of the man who “Shawn” used to drive around. They said they used a man named John for rides, but one day, John was unable to accommodate. That’s when John recommended his dad, named Shawn.
This photo provided by the Crawford County Correctional Facility shows Shawn C. Cranston. Police investigating the killing of a pregnant Amish woman inside her Pennsylvania home last week recovered several firearms, bullets and spent casings as well as broken knife parts, according to an inventory made public on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The man who lived about 8 miles from the home in northwestern Pennsylvania was charged with criminal homicide, homicide of her unborn child, burglary and criminal trespassing. Police have not disclosed what they think may have motivated Cranston to kill her in the living room, where her husband and a family friend found her. (Crawford County Correctional Facility via AP)AP
From Dec. 10 to Feb. 16, had “very odd experiences” with the driver named Shawn, court records said. They did not know his last name but said he appeared to be about 50. They said after he provided the first ride, he would randomly show up at their home.
One time, Shawn drove a red Jeep to their home, parked in their driveway, then wandered around their property wearing black clothing from head to toe, including black sunglasses. He had a black pistol in a holster on his belt. He was walking aimlessly, the neighbors said, and his speech made no sense. He asked when and where they attended church and said he wanted to go with them.
They gave Shawn’s phone number to police, who linked it to Cranston, who lived in the 400 block of E. Main Street in Corry, about 12 miles away from the victim. Cranston’s neighbors told police Cranston is a member of the War Dogs motorcycle club, where he serves as sergeant at arms.
Police are continuing to analyze the Jeep Patriot for evidence. An initial photo of the tire tread matches marks left in the mud in the driveway at the victim’s home, police wrote in court records.
