A pregnant mother of two from Pennsylvania is dead, and police believe she was murdered. Andy Byler found the body of his wife, 23-year-old Rebekah Byler, at their home in Sparta Township, a predominately Amish community, on February 26. She was reportedly at home with her two children at the time of her death, but they were unharmed.
The area is relatively quiet, and violent crime is virtually unheard of. Now, police and community members are working together to figure out who killed the young woman and why.
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Police arrived at the scene early in the afternoon.
According to JET 24/Fox 66, a large police presence descended on the 2100 block of Fish Flats Road, an area normally traveled mainly by horse and buggy and not motorized vehicles.
“At approximately 12:30, PSP Corry got a call from 911 of a deceased female that was found at the scene. At this point, we have confirmed the identity of the female, that she is deceased, and it looks like suspicious circumstances,” said Lt. Mark Weindorf of the Pennsylvania State Police.
Her family told police she was six months pregnant.
Her husband reportedly found her body.
Her husband, Andy Byler, arrived at the home and found his wife dead, according to the news outlet. Their children were at the scene, but thankfully, they were OK.
“Immediate family has been notified. We have members of the Amish community here as well,” Weindorf explained.
The news came as a shock to the community.
A man who wished to remain anonymous spoke with JET 24/Fox 66 and explained that he is a driver for the family and was driving another Amish woman when he heard about Rebekah Byler’s death.
“I said ‘Let’s hope when I come around the corner there’s not a person in sight’… and it was just packed. I said ‘Oh my god’. I just can’t believe it. Why would someone do that to a young girl?” he asked.
The Bylers' loved ones created a GoFundMe account.
The fundraising account is intended to help Andy and his children rebuild their lives after the tragic loss of a wife and mother.
“We are collecting money for Rebekah’s husband Andy and their two children. Rebekah was only 23 years old and 6 months pregnant when was brutally murdered in her home on Monday, February 26, 2024. Her two children were home at the time. We would like to show our support for the entire Amish community and help raise funds so that Andy and his children can find a safe new home,” the post reads.
Thus far, the campaign has raised more than $5,000 of a $10,000 goal.
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Police need the public’s help.
Because of religious beliefs, the Amish community is void of many modern technologies often used in investigations, such as surveillance cameras. Weindorf said police would investigate the scene thoroughly but asked anyone with any information to contact authorities as soon as possible.
“We will be on scene for several hours, conducting a forensic search of the entire property and inside the residence,” Weindorf said Monday.
