Court changes prelim hearing location for homicide suspect

Mar. 11—As fundraising efforts continue for Rebekah A. Byler's family, the preliminary hearing location has changed for the man accused by Pennsylvania State Police of killing a pregnant Amish woman and her unborn child last month.

The preliminary hearing for Shawn A. Cranston remains scheduled for Friday, but now will be held at the Crawford County Judicial Center in Meadville.

Issued Friday by Crawford County Court of Common Pleas President Judge John Spataro, the order states "in the interest of justice" Cranston's preliminary hearing will be heard in Courtroom 1 by Magisterial District Judge Amy Nicols.

The hearing had been scheduled to be heard at Nicols' magisterial district court offices in Titusville.

Cranston, 52, of Corry, is charged by state police with the deaths of Byler and her unborn child on Feb. 26 at the Byler home on Fish Flats Road in Sparta Township.

Byler, 23, was found deceased around midday on Feb. 26 in the living room of her home after Byler's husband and a family friend had arrived home just after noon that day and discovered her deceased. The couple's two young children were found in the home unharmed.

Cranston is charged with one felony count each of criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary with bodily injury, and criminal trespass. He was arrested the night of March 1 in the parking lot of a store in Corry.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, police allege Cranston killed Byler and her unborn female child by shooting Byler in the head and/or slashing her throat.

Police have not said what motive Cranston had to kill Byler.

An autopsy conducted Feb. 27 in Erie by Dr. Eric Vey, a forensic pathologist, found Byler had sustained wounds to her head and neck.

Crawford County Coroner Eric Coston has confirmed Byler was pregnant, but has declined comment on how far along she was in her pregnancy.

Full results of the autopsy haven't been disclosed as yet to maintain the integrity of the investigation, according to Coston.

Tissue, blood and other samples obtained in the autopsy have been sent to an independent laboratory for additional testing.

An online fundraiser for Rebekah Byler's family — her husband, Andy, and their two young children — has been organized by Kelsey Bova through GoFundMe.

The fundraiser has a goal of $35,000 with $21,912 raised as of 7 p.m. Sunday, according to Bova. It may be found at gofundme.com; search for "Rebekah Byler."

Bova has known the parents of both Rebekah and Andy Byler for at least 10 years through her family business, Bova's Hardware of Spartansburg.

The fundraiser's goal is to pay off Andy Byler's debts so his only remaining debt is the mortgage on the family home.

Byler's currently debt, other than the mortgage, totals $34,900, according to Bova. There is $14,000 owed to Northwest Savings Bank; $7,900 to Greenville Savings Bank; and $13,000 to ALCO Metals, a local tin roof and siding business.

Donation checks also are accepted, Bova said. They should be made payable to Andy Byler and mailed in care of Bova's Hardware, P.O. Box 207, Spartansburg, PA 16434-0207.

Donation jars to benefit the Byler family have been set up at business locations in the Spartansburg and Union City areas, Bova said.

Bova said there also are bake sales planned to benefit the family at the St. Patrick's Day Dinner and Raffle event this Saturday at the Water Street Apartments and the Easter Basket Hop March 30 at Spartansburg Volunteer Fire Department.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.