In 2019, Lisa Snyder, a mother from Pennsylvania, killed her two children in cold blood after hanging her 4-year-old daughter Brinley and 8-year-old son Conner in their Albany Township basement with a dog leash.
When Lisa Snyder phoned 911 to her Albany Township house in September 2019, rescuers found her two children, Conner and Brinley, dangling from a beam with overturned chairs close by. It was later reported by witnesses that Snyder was looking agitated at the scene. After being transported to a hospital, both kids were put on life support.
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The children were admitted to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest Hospital for three days before being removed from life support and dying. Lisa Snyder stated that her son Conner had feared dying alone and had displayed suicide tendencies, allegedly as a result of bullying. She suggested this as a reason he took his and his sister's life.
However, several people who knew Conner reported that he appeared to be a cheerful child and showed no signs of distress. Witnesses told authorities that it was improbable that he would harm himself or his younger sister, casting doubt on Snyder’s claims about her son’s state of mind before the tragic event.
A week after her children’s deaths, Lisa Snyder texted a friend, saying she needed 'two strong drinks.' The friend later testified that while they were drinking, Snyder acknowledged that her arrest was likely coming soon. The friend also revealed that Snyder had admitted to using her son’s Google profile to search for suicide methods. Investigators found that she researched hanging techniques and ordered the dog leash used in the murders the day before. Additionally, she watched episodes of a true crime show called I Almost Got Away With It.
The coroner declared the reason for death as hanging, and the case was then shifted to homicide.
How was Lisa Snyder charged with murder?
The defense contended for an acquittal, arguing that the case was based more on conjecture than hard proof. Lisa Snyder opted for a judge to hear her case instead of a jury. Within an hour of considering the case, Judge Theresa Johnson, the president of Berks County, returned a guilty verdict. In addition to being convicted of murder, Lisa Snyder was also found guilty of tampering with evidence and endangering the safety of her two children.
Berks County District Attorney posted about her sentence on their official Facebook account. They wrote:
"Lisa Snyder was convicted this week of two counts of 1st Degree Murder for the deaths of her two children, Conner and Brinley, in September 2019. President Judge M. Theresa Johnson found her guilty after a seven-day bench trial. Sentencing is scheduled for October 17th. Snyder faces a mandatory sentence of Life in Prison without Parole. The investigation was led by PA State Police Troopers Ian Keck and Daniel Womer. The case was tried by ADAs Meg McCallum and Ken Brown."
Cierra Genella, a news reporter, posted pictures of Lisa Snyder from her murder trial and her kids on her X account.
In a statement, Owen Snyder, the 22-year-old brother of the deceased children, referred to his mother as a “monster” and stated that he no longer views her as his mother. He expressed his sorrow over the fact that his siblings will never have the opportunity to be an aunt and uncle to his newborn son, lamenting that he will never witness the individuals they might have grown up to be.
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