A 56-year-old Pennsylvania man has been arrested and charged with intentionally killing his wife, leaving their young son alone with her body for hours before calling police. Authorities say Douglas Wayne Snyder fatally shot 38-year-old Samantha Lynn Fields during a domestic dispute at their home in Perry County.
According to a statement from the Pennsylvania State Police, troopers responded to the 1400 block of New Valley Road around 10:30 a.m. Monday after receiving a report of a domestic incident. When officers entered the residence, they found Fields dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Snyder, who lived at the home, was immediately taken into custody.
Court records show Snyder has been charged with one count of intentional homicide and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Perry County Prison without bond following a court appearance on September 15. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 23.
Charging documents obtained by local media outlets provide chilling details about the hours leading up to the killing. Snyder initially told investigators the shooting was an accident. “I guess I shot her by accident,” he allegedly said, adding, “I honest to god did not just shoot my wife.”
Further questioning revealed a violent argument between the couple on Saturday evening. Snyder admitted that his wife struck him in the back of the head with a book during the dispute. “She threw the book at me from at least 10 feet away,” he reportedly told police. “I was pissed, I turned around, snapped and I shot her.”
Rather than immediately calling authorities, Snyder left the residence for roughly 13 hours after the shooting, leaving the couple’s son alone in the home with his mother’s body. The boy later told investigators that when he went to bed Saturday night, both parents were fine, but when he woke up the next morning, he discovered his mother’s body.
It was not until Sunday morning that Snyder placed the call to 911, finally reporting the incident. Police say his delay not only endangered his child but also compounded the seriousness of the charges he now faces.
The case has shaken the community, with friends and family mourning the loss of Fields. A GoFundMe campaign launched by a close friend described her as “a beautiful woman who put everyone else before herself” and emphasized her devotion to her children. “She loved her kids fiercely and they are now left without a Mother,” the fundraising page stated.
Authorities have classified the killing as an act of domestic violence, a problem that continues to plague communities nationwide. If convicted, Snyder could face life in prison.
As the case moves forward in court, the tragedy underscores the devastating impact of domestic disputes that turn violent, leaving families shattered and children without parents.
