Amish Man's Deadly Affair Leads to Wife's Murder

In 2009, the Amish community was rocked by a shocking murder case involving one of their own. Eli Weaver, an Amish man, had been leading a double life, engaging in numerous affairs with women outside of his community despite being married to Barbara Weaver.

Eli's secret life of infidelity eventually led him to conspire with one of his mistresses, Barbara Raber, to kill his wife. Raber, a former Amish member, confessed to carrying out the murder, though Eli's involvement in the plot was also uncovered by authorities.

The investigation revealed that Eli had been using a secret cell phone to connect with women online, referring to himself as the "Amish Stud." Despite his wife's awareness of his affairs, Eli decided that the only way he could continue his relationship with Raber was to have Barbara killed.

On the morning of June 2, 2009, Raber entered the Weaver home and fatally shot Barbara. Eli had left the house earlier, claiming he was going on a fishing trip, but authorities believe he had orchestrated the murder with Raber. Both Eli and Raber were arrested and charged for their roles in the crime.

Raber was found guilty of aggravated murder and sentenced to life in prison, while Eli pled guilty to complicity to commit murder and received a sentence of 15 years to life. As of 2025, Eli remains incarcerated, with his next parole hearing scheduled for 2032.