Fred Cranshaw

Mass Murderer

Frederick "Freddy" Leroy Cranshaw and the 2005 Sash Shooting Rampage

Background

Frederick Leroy Cranshaw, commonly called Freddy Cranshaw, was a 54-year-old man responsible for a mass shooting in and around the small community of Sash, Texas, on August 28, 2005. Sash is an unincorporated community in Fannin County, approximately 100 miles northeast of Dallas. Cranshaw lived in a house situated less than 50 yards from the local Assembly of God church. Cranshaw had reportedly moved to the property approximately two and a half years before the killings. He was described as a quiet and isolated man who generally avoided contact with other residents. He collected and repaired automobile radios in the back portion of his home. During the six months before the shooting, neighbors noticed that he had become increasingly reclusive and confrontational. People living near Cranshaw reported several disturbing encounters. Neighbor Grady Pior said that he and his wife had contacted law enforcement more than once because Cranshaw shouted obscenities and discharged a firearm while standing on his own property. Authorities did not arrest him because the reported conduct occurred within the boundaries of his property. Members of the nearby church also said Cranshaw left rambling or nonsensical notes on their vehicles and cursed at them as they departed from religious services.

The Confrontation Near the Church

On Sunday, August 28, 2005, Pastor James Wayne Armstrong, Armstrong's wife, Ernest Wesley Brown and two other people were talking outside near the Assembly of God church. Cranshaw began yelling obscenities at the group and accused them of persecuting him. Fannin County Justice of the Peace Emery Banker later said Cranshaw complained that he was tired of enduring what he considered their persecution. Pastor Armstrong responded by telling Cranshaw not to use offensive language in front of the women who were present. The argument quickly escalated. Cranshaw produced a firearm and began shooting at the five people gathered near the church. The group attempted to scatter and escape across the church property. Pastor Armstrong and Ernest Wesley Brown were struck and killed. Deputies later found their bodies in a grassy area beside the church parking lot. The other people in the group escaped the immediate attack.

The Attack at the Intersection

After shooting Armstrong and Brown, Cranshaw entered a vehicle and drove away from the church. He traveled to a nearby intersection, where he encountered a truck pulling a horse trailer. Cranshaw fired at the vehicle, forcing its occupants into a sudden and terrifying confrontation. Two women, Ceri Litterio and Holly Love Brown, attempted to run from the truck. Witnesses told investigators that they heard the women screaming as they tried to escape. Cranshaw shot and killed both women. Investigators found no indication that either woman had been involved in Cranshaw's dispute with the church. Fannin County Sheriff Kenneth Moore described their killings as apparently random and said the women had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Holly Love Brown was not related to Ernest Wesley Brown, despite their shared surname. The deaths of Litterio and Brown increased the number of murder victims to four. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

James Wayne Armstrong 42 yr old Male

Shooting rampage at church ends with 5 dead - Chron