Madeline Spatafore was shot by her husband, Ryan Hosso, before he died in nearby woods, say police.
SEVEN FIELDS, Pa. — Madeline Spatafore, a 25-year-old physician assistant from Butler County, was found shot to death in her home April 28 after police said her husband called his parents and admitted killing her.
Spatafore’s death is being investigated as part of a murder-suicide that ended with 26-year-old Ryan Hosso dead in a wooded area behind the couple’s home. Pennsylvania State Police said the case began with a 1:15 a.m. call from Hosso’s parents and remained under investigation after officers found both bodies.
Before her name appeared in a state police release, Spatafore was known to relatives, classmates and colleagues as Maddy. Her obituary said she was the daughter of John and Mishelle Spatafore and the sister of Megan and Sophia. It said she excelled at Duquesne University, where she was a four-year Robert A. Becker Scholar, earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Science in 2023 and completed a master’s degree in physician assistant studies in 2024. After graduating, she worked at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital as a licensed physician assistant in the neurocritical care unit. The family notice described her as clever, determined and compassionate, and said she would be remembered by relatives, friends, colleagues, patients and her dog, August.
Police said the emergency response began when Hosso’s parents contacted authorities and reported that their son told them he had killed his wife at their Seven Fields residence. Northern Regional Police officers responded to the home and found Spatafore deceased from multiple gunshot wounds, state police said. Hosso was not at the home when officers arrived. He was later found dead from a single gunshot wound in a wooded area behind the residence in Cranberry Township. Officials did not release a motive. They also did not say whether Spatafore and Hosso had contact with police before April 28 or whether neighbors heard the gunfire. State police said the investigation was ongoing.
At Duquesne, Spatafore left an impression on people who worked with her outside class as well as inside her health care program. Philip Clarke, a former student services director who advised Delta Zeta when Spatafore joined the sorority, said she was involved across campus. He said she took part in several organizations, including the honors college, an honors fraternity and the physician assistant program. “Everybody loved her,” Clarke said. He described her as friendly, intelligent and goal-oriented. Clarke said news of her death was difficult to process because she was only a few years out of college and beginning the career path she had worked toward.
Spatafore and Hosso had been married for about 19 months. Reports citing their wedding information said they married in September 2024 in Wooster, Ohio. Local stations reported that the two were Seneca Valley High School graduates, Hosso in 2018 and Spatafore in 2019. Their relationship drew public attention because police described the shooting as domestic and because both were young, locally connected and recently married. Hosso’s online work history listed engineering jobs, including a mechanical engineering role with Vavco, a Pittsburgh-area firm tied to the oil and gas industry. A company representative told a local station that Hosso had not worked there in about three years. No public record cited by police explained what led to the shooting.
The location of Hosso’s body complicated the police response because the scene crossed municipal lines. The home was in Seven Fields Borough, while the wooded area behind it was in Cranberry Township. Northern Regional Police first responded to the residence, and Pennsylvania State Police from the Butler barracks took over the investigation because of the cross-jurisdictional nature of the case. Northern Regional Police Chief Bryan DeWick said officers found Hosso quickly after a short search. Trooper Bertha Cazy said investigators would remain on scene as long as necessary to process evidence. She said state police also expected to speak with neighbors to learn whether anyone saw or heard anything out of place.
No charges were expected because Hosso was dead, but the police work did not end with the discovery of the bodies. Investigators still had to confirm the sequence of events, document the residence, document the wooded area, review available records and complete reports for the agencies involved. Police did not publicly release 911 audio, a detailed statement from Hosso’s parents or forensic findings about the firearm. Officials said Spatafore died from multiple gunshot wounds and Hosso died from a single gunshot wound. The state police release identified Hosso as the actor and described the matter as a homicide and suicide. The unknowns left investigators to reconstruct what happened inside the home before the call from Hosso’s parents brought officers to Graywyck Drive.
Spatafore’s family later announced a private family ceremony and a celebration of life gathering at The Stables at Connoquenessing in Renfrew. The public obituary asked that no media attend. It named many relatives and friends and said a scholarship or charity selection in her honor was being finalized. The notice placed her education, medical work and character at the center of her story. It said her time was brief, but her light would not dim.
State police have not announced a final public report in the case. As of the latest update, the deaths remained under investigation, the motive had not been disclosed and the next milestone was the completion of police and forensic reviews into the April 28 shooting.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.