The Amish & Crime

Stories about the Amish as victims – or perpetrators – of crime.

Foul Play Suspected As 4-Year-Old Amish Boy Found Dead In Lake; Mother Made “Concerning Statements”; Husband Remains Missing (UPDATE: Husband’s Body Found In Lake)

Foul Play Suspected As 4-Year-Old Amish Boy Found Dead In Lake; Mother Made “Concerning Statements”; Husband Remains Missing (UPDATE: Husband’s Body Found In Lake)

ByErik Wesner
2 Comments

This is a truly bizarre and disturbing story involving a family from the Holmes County, Ohio Amish community. A four-year-old Amish boy’s body was recovered from a local recreational lake Saturday – while the boy’s father remains missing. And the Amish mother has come under suspicion, after it was determined she intentionally drove a golf cart into the water Saturday morning – with several of…

Amish Youth Charged With Killing Amish Woman Gets A Trial Date

Amish Youth Charged With Killing Amish Woman Gets A Trial Date

ByErik Wesner
1 Comment

Samuel L. Hochstetler, an Amish 18-year-old charged with the murder of Amish woman Rosanna Kinsinger (28), recently had some important court dates set regarding his case in Meigs County, Ohio. We now know when he’ll go to trial, along with the dates of two other pretrial hearings. From WSAZ: MEIGS COUNTY, Ohio. (WSAZ) – Several trial dates have been set for Samuel Hochstetler, who was…

“You Deserve Every Second”: Man Who Killed Pregnant Amish Woman Gets His Sentence

“You Deserve Every Second”: Man Who Killed Pregnant Amish Woman Gets His Sentence

ByErik Wesner
5 Comments

Shawn Cranston was sentenced Monday to two life terms for the killing of Crawford County, Pennsylvania Amish woman Rebekah Byler and her unborn child. Following a four-day trial in June, Cranston was swiftly convicted for the murders of Byler and her unborn girl. Now Cranston will spend the rest of his life in prison for his crimes. From the report: The Corry man who killed…

One Year Later: Suspect CAUGHT For Amish Business Crime Spree

One Year Later: Suspect CAUGHT For Amish Business Crime Spree

ByErik Wesner
2 Comments

This case came on the radar last year in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Over a single week, several Amish businesses – along with non-Amish churches – were burglarized in a series of crimes in this heavily-Amish corner of PA. Now, police believe they have their culprit. From WFMJ: MERCER, Pa. – A Mercer man faces nineteen charges, including arson and burglary, after a series of alleged…

Samantha Petersen Pleads Guilty in Crash That Killed Two Amish Girls

Samantha Petersen Pleads Guilty in Crash That Killed Two Amish Girls

ByErik Wesner
1 Comment

A month ago, it was announced that a plea agreement had been arranged for Samantha Petersen, the driver in the crash which took two Amish girl’s lives in Fillmore County, Minnesota in 2023. Today, Petersen officially pleaded guilty. From KROC News: Preston, MN (KROC-AM News) – The former Stewartville woman who was behind the wheel of the SUV that smashed into an Amish buggy and…

Driver Charged With Homicide…18 Months After Crash That Killed Young Amish Man

Driver Charged With Homicide…18 Months After Crash That Killed Young Amish Man

ByErik Wesner
2 Comments

A 21-year-old New York Amish man named Abraham Shetler lost his life in December 2023, when the buggy he was traveling in was struck by a pickup truck. A 19-year-old riding with him faced life-threatening injuries, but survived. Now, the driver who struck the buggy has been arrested – and will face charges. From localsyr.com: TOWN OF OSWEGATHCHIE, N.Y. (WWTI) – A 34-year-old Ogdensburg man…

Sheriff: Growing Concern Over “Large Amish Youth Underage Drinking Parties” (Northern Indiana)

Sheriff: Growing Concern Over “Large Amish Youth Underage Drinking Parties” (Northern Indiana)

ByErik Wesner

Some Amish settlements have a reputation for wild youth behavior. One of the more prominent examples has been the large northern Indiana community (the Elkhart County – LaGrange County settlement, including Shipshewana and other areas). This has been the case for decades, though apparently things ebb and flow (and of course, this does not concern all the Amish youth in the community). But to take…

Cranston Convicted For Murders Of Rebekah Byler & Her Unborn Child: Guilty On All Counts

Cranston Convicted For Murders Of Rebekah Byler & Her Unborn Child: Guilty On All Counts

ByErik Wesner
6 Comments

Shawn C. Cranston has been found guilty: Meadville, Pa (WJET/WFXP)– Guilty on all charges — That’s the verdict in the trial of Shawn Cranston, the man accused of murdering a pregnant Amish woman last year in Sparta Township. It took the jury less than three hours to find Shawn Cranston guilty on all charges in the murder of Rebekah Byler and her unborn child. Rebekah…

Twin Sister Who Hit Buggy While On Meth, Killing Two Amish Girls, Will Serve A Maximum Of Four Years – Or Maybe Just One Year

Twin Sister Who Hit Buggy While On Meth, Killing Two Amish Girls, Will Serve A Maximum Of Four Years – Or Maybe Just One Year

ByErik Wesner
15 Comments

The plea agreement for Samantha Jo Petersen, facing 17 charges (including six counts of vehicular homicide) will have her pleading guilty to just two counts – one count of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of criminal vehicular operation. The rest of the charges will be dismissed. Samantha has admitted consuming methamphetamine and then hitting a buggy in a September 2023 crash in Fillmore County,…

Amish Mother Murder Trial – Day Three: Inmate Says Cranston Confessed To Him In Jail (UPDATED: Testimony Complete; Jury Now Deliberating)

Amish Mother Murder Trial – Day Three: Inmate Says Cranston Confessed To Him In Jail (UPDATED: Testimony Complete; Jury Now Deliberating)

ByErik Wesner

The biggest news of Day Three of the Shawn Cranston trial came from the testimony of a fellow inmate. An inmate named Joseph Burch claimed that Cranston confessed to killing pregnant Amish mother Rebekah Byler to him while the two were at the Crawford County, PA Correctional Facility. If you missed them, here are the recaps of Trial Day One and Day Two. Some of…