Pennsylvania Truck Driver Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Amish Woman

Shawn Christopher Cranston, a 53-year-old truck driver, was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder of an unborn child, and related charges for the brutal killing of 23-year-old pregnant Amish woman Rebekah Byler in her rural Pennsylvania home. Cranston targeted Byler's home for burglary but, upon encountering her alone, slit her throat and shot her, resulting in her death and the loss of her unborn child. Byler's two young children were home during the attack but were unharmed; the 3-year-old informed authorities that a man wearing sneakers had killed his mother. Investigators linked Cranston to the crime scene through DNA found on a glove, matching shoe prints, vehicle tire treads, and GPS data. The trial lasted four days, with the jury swiftly reaching a guilty verdict in under three hours, prompting Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday to condemn the heinous violation of the sanctity of home. Cranston is scheduled for sentencing in late July and faces life imprisonment.