State police said Ryan Hosso called his parents after killing his wife, Madeline Spatafore, before he was found dead in nearby woods.
SEVEN FIELDS, Pa. — Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after Ryan Hosso, 26, fatally shot his wife, Madeline Spatafore, 25, inside their Seven Fields home early Tuesday before he was found dead in a wooded area in Cranberry Township, authorities said.
The deaths drew wide attention in Butler County because of the couple’s age, their local ties and the sudden police response on a quiet residential street north of Pittsburgh. Authorities described the case as a homicide and suicide and said the investigation remained active. Police have not released a motive or said whether officers had been called to the home before Tuesday.
The first emergency call came at about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, according to state police. Northern Regional police received a report from Hosso’s parents, who told officers their son had said he killed his wife at the couple’s home in Seven Fields and was threatening to kill himself. Officers went to the residence on Graywyck Drive and found Spatafore dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Police then searched the area behind the home. Ryan Hosso, of Seven Fields, was found in a wooded area in neighboring Cranberry Township. State police said he died from a single gunshot wound. Trooper Bertha Cazy, a state police public information officer, said the case remained under investigation.
The Pennsylvania State Police release identified the case as “Homicide/Suicide” and said Northern Regional police found Spatafore when they responded to the residence. Northern Regional Police Department Chief Bryan DeWick said the incident appeared to be domestic in nature and involved a husband and wife. “For a short time, the suspect was at large, but we quickly located him in a wooded area behind the house,” DeWick said. Local reports said police used thermal drones during the search, which lasted about an hour. DeWick said there was no public safety threat after Hosso was found. Butler County Coroner Korynne Young’s office responded to the scene.
Spatafore was a physician assistant with UPMC and had graduated from Duquesne University, where she was involved in campus life and Delta Zeta sorority, according to local reports. WPXI reported she had worked at UPMC Presbyterian as a neurovascular critical care physician assistant since November 2024. Philip Clarke, a former director of student services at Duquesne who knew her, said Spatafore stood out for her warmth. “Maddie lit up a room,” Clarke said. “Maddie was the type of person who was always happy, in a good mood.” Police and local outlets reported that Spatafore and Hosso both attended Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Hosso graduated in 2018, and Spatafore graduated in 2019.
The couple married in September 2024 in Ohio, according to local reports citing their wedding website. Their deaths came less than two years into the marriage. Hosso’s LinkedIn page listed him as a mechanical engineer for Vavco, a Pittsburgh-based engineering firm serving the oil and gas industry, but company management told local outlets he had not worked there in about three years. A company owner told WPXI he was shocked and saddened by the news. Police have not publicly tied Hosso’s employment history to the shooting, and they have not released any records showing a known dispute before the attack.
State police took over the investigation because the case crossed two jurisdictions. Spatafore was found in Seven Fields Borough, while Hosso was found in Cranberry Township. Cazy said state police would be assisted by local police as investigators processed both areas. “We’re going to be here as long as it takes to process the scene,” Cazy said. “That does take an extended amount of time, just with the different organizations that we have here.” She said investigators planned to speak with neighbors to learn whether anyone noticed anything unusual before the shooting. Police had not announced criminal charges, and no court proceeding was expected because the accused shooter was dead.
Neighbors on Graywyck Drive told local reporters the deaths shook the small street, though several declined to speak on camera. One neighbor told WPXI she did not know the couple but described the day as sad for the area. The street sits in Seven Fields, a small Butler County borough near Cranberry Township and about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh. The early morning response brought local police, state police and the coroner’s office to the neighborhood. By Tuesday evening, investigators had identified both people and confirmed that no other suspect was being sought.
Key questions remained unanswered Wednesday. State police had not released a motive, a detailed timeline before the parents’ call or information about how the gun was obtained. Officials also had not said whether autopsies had been completed. The state police statement said the investigation was ongoing, and local police were expected to continue assisting with interviews and scene review.
The case now rests with Pennsylvania State Police in Butler County. The next public update is expected to come from investigators or the coroner’s office after evidence review and family notifications are complete.
Author note: Last updated April 29, 2026.