A newlywed woman has continued her marriage to a man accused of raping her sister hours before their wedding ceremony, despite the allegations and subsequent arrest.
Rebekah Hanshaw, 28, married Zachary Prouty, 38, on October 18, after her sister reported an alleged sexual assault to police. The police investigated the claim at the Airbnb where wedding guests were staying, but Hanshaw proceeded with the ceremony the following day in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Prouty was arrested nine months later, on July 16, after DNA testing reportedly linked him to the sister.
The couple is currently living together at their home in Sanders, Kentucky, and were seen wearing their wedding rings. Hanshaw declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail. Prouty, a senior plant manager, denied the allegations through his lawyer, who declined to comment. Prouty was reportedly not present when the Daily Mail visited their home, though he was later seen tending to their lawn.
According to an arrest affidavit, the alleged incident occurred on the night of October 16, after wedding guests had returned from a restaurant. The sister reportedly told investigators that Prouty kissed her without consent, inserted his tongue into her mouth, and bit her lip. She stated that she lost consciousness and had no memory of subsequent events. She awoke the next morning unclothed in an unfamiliar bedroom, with her clothes on the floor. She sought medical treatment at Gettysburg Hospital, where a sexual assault forensic examination was performed.
Police were dispatched to the Airbnb the afternoon of October 17 to gather evidence and question Prouty. After being read his Miranda Rights, Prouty declined to provide a statement and retained legal counsel. The sister, whose identity is being concealed as an alleged victim, did not attend the wedding and has not spoken to her sister since the incident.
Photos from Hanshaw's now-deleted social media pages depicted the wedding ceremony and the couple's first dance. The wedding was officiated by Prouty's father, minister Nathan Prouty. Approximately 50 to 100 guests attended the ceremony at the Barn Resort.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Prouty's DNA on October 19, the day after the wedding. Forensic testing by the Pennsylvania State Police reportedly found the male DNA profile to be approximately 95 billion times more likely to have originated from Prouty than from an unrelated individual. These findings led to Prouty being charged with forcible rape, rape of an unconscious victim, sexual assault, and indecent assault.
By the time of his arrest, Prouty and Hanshaw had jointly purchased a new home in Sanders, Kentucky, for $435,000. Court records show the deed was listed in both their names as husband and wife as of April 24.
A family friend told the Daily Mail that the sisters have not spoken since the day before the wedding and that reconciliation is unlikely while Rebekah Hanshaw continues to support her husband. The friend described the situation as a "terrible shame" that has ripped the sisters' relationship apart, noting they were close before the events unfolded.
Court records indicate Prouty has no prior criminal convictions, only traffic violations. He was released on $50,000 unsecured bail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 9. He has not yet entered a plea.