Woman arrested in death of mother killed with crossbow

A Pennsylvania woman was arrested for allegedly shooting her mother with a crossbow after the two had an argument.

Fifty-one-year-old Lisa Marie Caplan, of Palmerton, is charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault in the death of 71-year-old Sandra Marie Barndt. 

Times News of Lehighton reports Caplan texted her boyfriend saying she shot her mother with the weapon.

Police found Barndt’s body underneath a blanket with the arrow sticking out of her (stock image)

 State police in Carbon County said relatives became concerned after not having any contact with Barndt since Wednesday and asked police to check on her. 

Officers went to the Palmerton home Friday and found her body under a blanket with the arrow sticking out of her and blood leaking from underneath.

Caplan told police that after a fight on Wednesday, she went upstairs to get the crossbow then came downstairs and shot her mother in the back of the neck.  

Neighbors knew Caplan as the ‘shovel lady’ because she would walk around with a shovel for no apparent reason. 

Neighbor Shawn Green told the Times: ‘She just had some bizarre behaviors, for example she would carry shovels up and down the street here on Lafayette avenue to the water towers. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to why she was carrying the shovel.’ 

Caplan remains in custody pending an October 11 preliminary hearing. Court documents don’t list a defense attorney for her and a number listed in her name had been disconnected.