Inset: Samantha Lynn Fields (GoFundMe). Background: The home where Fields was allegedly killed by her husband, Douglas Snyder (WGAL).
A 56-year-old man in Pennsylvania has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife, claiming he fatally shot the 38-year-old woman “by accident” and then left her body in the home with their young son for several hours before calling authorities. Douglas Wayne Snyder was taken into custody earlier this week and charged with one count of intentional homicide in the slaying of 38-year-old Samantha Lynn Fields, authorities announced.
Snyder is also facing one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
According to a news release from the Pennsylvania State Police, troopers from the Critical Incident Unit responded to a report of a domestic dispute at a residence in the 1400 block of New Valley Road at about 10:30 a.m. on Monday. Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they located an adult female, later identified as Fields, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators interviewed a man they said lived at the address, later identified as Snyder, and subsequently placed him under arrest.
Charging documents obtained by Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, CBS affiliate WHP provided additional details about what led to the fatal shooting.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
According to the report, Snyder placed the Sunday morning call to 911 to report the incident, telling the dispatcher that the shooting took place Saturday evening. When troopers first arrived and spoke to Snyder, he allegedly confessed to the shooting, but claimed he did not do it on purpose.
“I guess I shot her by accident,” he reportedly said, adding, “I honest to god did not just shoot my wife”.
The couple”s son was also at the scene. He told police that when he went to bed Saturday night, both of his parents were fine, but “he woke up and saw a body and it was his mom,” Lancaster NBC affiliate WGAL reported.
Police then transported Snyder to the station to continue the interview. There, he reportedly provided additional details about the argument he and his wife got into before he allegedly killed her, including how she struck him in the back of the head with a book.
“She threw the book at me from at least 10 feet away,” Snyder reportedly told investigators. “I was pissed, I turned around, snapped and I shot her.”
After shooting his wife, Snyder said he left the residence for about 13 hours, leaving his child alone in the home with the body.
Snyder is currently being held in the Perry County Prison. He appeared in court for his arraignment on Sept. 15, where a judge denied him bond. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Sept 23, court records show.
A GoFundMe page started by one of Fields’ friends said her life was taken “by a monster in an act of domestic violence.”
“Sam was a beautiful woman who put everyone else before herself,” the page said. “She loved her kids fiercely and they are now left without a Mother.”
