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A young Pennsylvania couple who were high school sweethearts are dead in a murder-suicide carried out by the husband less than two years after they tied the knot, police said.

Ryan Hosso, 26, gunned down his physician assistant wife, 25-year-old Madeline Spatafore, inside their Butler, Pa., home early Tuesday before retreating into nearby woods, where he turned the gun on himself, according to Pennsylvania State Police.


  Ryan Hosso, 26, shot and killed his wife, 25-year-old Madeline Spatafore, then committed suicide. Facebook Ryan Hosso, 26, shot and killed his wife, 25-year-old Madeline Spatafore, then committed suicide. Facebook

  Hosso called his parents and confessed to killing Spatafore before he killed himself. WPXI Hosso called his parents and confessed to killing Spatafore before he killed himself. WPXI

Hosso called his parents at some point between Spatafore’s murder and his suicide. During the brief call, he confessed to killing Spatafore and threatened to take his own life, cops said.

Hosso’s parents reported their son’s erratic behavior to authorities around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday.

When officers responded, they found Spatafore dead inside the home. Police used thermal drones to locate Hosso’s body in the woods, the Cranberry Eagle reported.

Spatafore sustained “multiple gunshot wounds,” while Hosso only had one injury, police said.


  Hosso and Spatafore started dating in high school. Facebook Hosso and Spatafore started dating in high school. Facebook

The couple tied the knot in Ohio in September 2024, according to their wedding registry.

They both graduated from Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, Pennsylvania — just 10 miles outside their home in Seven Fields, a borough of Butler.

Spatafore graduated from high school in 2019 and then attended Duquesne University. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in health services in 2023.


  Spatafore worked as a critical care physician assistant at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Facebook Spatafore worked as a critical care physician assistant at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Facebook

  The high school sweethearts got married in September 2024. Facebook The high school sweethearts got married in September 2024. Facebook

She was employed as a critical care physician assistant at UPMC Presbyterian at the time of her death, according to her LinkedIn.

It’s unclear if or where Hosso went to college. He previously worked as a mechanical engineer at Vavco, a Pittsburgh-based engineering firm for the oil and gas industry, according to his LinkedIn.

The owner of Vavco told WPXI that Hasso hadn’t worked for the company in three or four years.

Police have not released a motive in the harrowing shootings. An investigation is ongoing.

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