Grisly details released about pregnant Amish woman found slain in Pennsylvania

An Amish man found his slain pregnant wife in the middle of a grisly murder scene in their northwest Pennsylvania home, according to court documents made public Monday.

Andy Byler and 911 caller Julie Warner had just stepped into his home in Sparta Township last Monday when they found the body of Rebekah A. Byler, 23, a search warrant application and affidavit of probable cause revealed.

The victim was found “laying on her back in a pool of blood in the living room of the residence,” according to the court document, written by State Police Trooper Adam Black.

Responding police found that her throat had been cut, and they saw "a scalping wound to her head," according to the court document.

State police have arrested Shawn C. Cranston, 52, of Corry, Pennsylvania, who was booked on suspicion of criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, burglary and criminal trespass. A criminal complaint accuses him of “shooting [Byler] in the head and/or slashing her throat.”

The court documents released Monday did not mention a possible motive for Byler's slaying in her home on Fish Flats Road, about 120 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Byler had two children, ages 2 and 3, who were in the house when her body was discovered but were not harmed in the bloody attack, police have said.

Cranston had not hired or been assigned a criminal defense lawyer as of midday Monday.