On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Brian Paul Hungler, a 33-year-old man from North Lebanon Township, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Hungler was on trial for allegedly abusing his approximately 1-month-old infant son multiple times before his death.
According to Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf, Hungler had been on bail in connection with the May 2022 abuse of his baby boy. The bail was set at $25,000 by Magisterial District Judge Carl R. Garver when Hungler was arrested on May 16, 2022.
During the trial, which began on Monday, April 22, 2024, Senior Deputy DA Amy Muller presented evidence of Hungler’s alleged guilt. Detective David Shaffer testified regarding Hungler’s confession to causing injuries to his newborn. Various doctors also provided testimony on the extent of the baby’s injuries, including broken bones and brain bleeds. The trial was in its final stages with the closing statements and deliberation scheduled for the same day Hungler was found dead.
Law enforcement was called to Hungler’s residence on the trial’s last day following a report of a gunshot injury. They found Hungler inside the home with a semiautomatic handgun in his hand. He was pronounced dead at Hershey Medical Center due to a single gunshot wound to his head, consistent with a self-inflicted injury.