CRAWFORD COUNTY, PA - The man charged and convicted of murdering a pregnant Amish woman in Sparta Township last year has been sentenced and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Shawn Cranston appeared at his sentencing hearing on Monday morning, July 28th, for the brutal murder of 23-year-old Rebekah Byler and her unborn child, WKBN reported. The judge sentenced Cranston to two life sentences, one for Rebekah's murder and the other for her unborn child.
Although six members of the Amish community were in court to witness the sentencing, they did not address the court with victim impact statements, as is typically seen in murder cases.
However, prior to the sentencing, Rebekah's mom and dad both wrote letters for the judge to read. Cranston chose not to address the judge, but Judge Schultz addressed him and he did not hold back, saying this was one of the worst crimes imaginable, telling Cranston he chose to murder a pregnant woman in her home in front of her two children.
Judge Schultz said all he had to do was leave, but instead he chose to stay and kill Rebekah and her unborn child. "You deserve every second of the sentence I will now impose on you," he said.
The sentence was two life sentences plus 6-20 years for burglary and 10 months to seven years for criminal trespassing. His attorney said he was withdrawing as counsel following sentencing at Cranston's request, citing ineffective counsel.
Cranston said he would seek representation through the public defender's office, which means he likely plans to appeal his conviction.
Earlier in July, a jury deliberated for only three hours before finding Cranston guilty on one count of first-degree murder in Rebekah's killing as well as one count of second-degree murder of an unborn child, Law & Crime reported.
A probable cause affidavit revealed the gruesome crime scene from February 26, 2024. Rebekah's "throat had been cut" and she was "laying on her back in a pool of blood in the living room of the residence," the document said. There was also an "evident laceration" on the front side of her neck and what appeared to be a "scalping type wound on her head."
"Rebekah Byler was discovered laying on her back in the living room of the residence," another affidavit filed in the case said, adding that she "displayed multiple sharp force wounds to the neck." Her two children were home when she was murdered, but they were left unharmed. They were two and three-years-old at the time.
Prosecutors called 24 witnesses during the trial. One, an inmate housed in the same prison as Cranston, testified in graphic detail how Cranston allegedly confessed to him about the botched burglary.
"He spun her around and started choking her," the inmate testified. "She didn't pass out, so he slit her throat. He said she didn't die quick enough, so he shot her." The defense did not call any witnesses, choosing instead to rely on the lack of DNA evidence tying Cranston to the crime scene.
"This defendant committed a truly evil act, and is now held fully accountable as he will spend the rest of his life behind bars without an opportunity to ever again harm another person in free society," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement.
Shawn Cranston appeared at his sentencing hearing on Monday morning, July 28th, for the brutal murder of 23-year-old Rebekah Byler and her unborn child, WKBN reported. The judge sentenced Cranston to two life sentences, one for Rebekah's murder and the other for her unborn child.
Although six members of the Amish community were in court to witness the sentencing, they did not address the court with victim impact statements, as is typically seen in murder cases.
However, prior to the sentencing, Rebekah's mom and dad both wrote letters for the judge to read. Cranston chose not to address the judge, but Judge Schultz addressed him and he did not hold back, saying this was one of the worst crimes imaginable, telling Cranston he chose to murder a pregnant woman in her home in front of her two children.
Judge Schultz said all he had to do was leave, but instead he chose to stay and kill Rebekah and her unborn child. "You deserve every second of the sentence I will now impose on you," he said.
The sentence was two life sentences plus 6-20 years for burglary and 10 months to seven years for criminal trespassing. His attorney said he was withdrawing as counsel following sentencing at Cranston's request, citing ineffective counsel.
Cranston said he would seek representation through the public defender's office, which means he likely plans to appeal his conviction.
Earlier in July, a jury deliberated for only three hours before finding Cranston guilty on one count of first-degree murder in Rebekah's killing as well as one count of second-degree murder of an unborn child, Law & Crime reported.
A probable cause affidavit revealed the gruesome crime scene from February 26, 2024. Rebekah's "throat had been cut" and she was "laying on her back in a pool of blood in the living room of the residence," the document said. There was also an "evident laceration" on the front side of her neck and what appeared to be a "scalping type wound on her head."
"Rebekah Byler was discovered laying on her back in the living room of the residence," another affidavit filed in the case said, adding that she "displayed multiple sharp force wounds to the neck." Her two children were home when she was murdered, but they were left unharmed. They were two and three-years-old at the time.
Prosecutors called 24 witnesses during the trial. One, an inmate housed in the same prison as Cranston, testified in graphic detail how Cranston allegedly confessed to him about the botched burglary.
"He spun her around and started choking her," the inmate testified. "She didn't pass out, so he slit her throat. He said she didn't die quick enough, so he shot her." The defense did not call any witnesses, choosing instead to rely on the lack of DNA evidence tying Cranston to the crime scene.
"This defendant committed a truly evil act, and is now held fully accountable as he will spend the rest of his life behind bars without an opportunity to ever again harm another person in free society," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement.
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Comments
2025-08-02T11:34-0400 | Comment by: Robert
This is a classic example of why we need to re-implement the death penalty on a grander scale! Feeding and clothing this sub-human for the rest of his life should not be something that is the responsibility of law abiding citizens.
2025-08-02T17:10-0400 | Comment by: Robert
DEATH PENALTY. Period