Prosecutors said a Pennsylvania father lured the victim to his home, shot her repeatedly in front of their 3-year-old daughter and reloaded before firing again
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County man who admitted to shooting a woman multiple times during a child custody dispute while their 3-year-old daughter stood nearby has been sentenced to 13½ to 40 years in state prison.
Ezekiel Daniel Sanderful, 33, of East Cocalico Township, received the sentence after pleading guilty June 10 to attempted murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.
According to prosecutors, the shooting occurred in December 2024 outside Sanderful’s residence in the first block of Reinholds Road.
Authorities said Sanderful lured the victim to the home under the pretense of picking up their daughter. Once she arrived, he produced a handgun and began firing.
Prosecutors said the couple’s 3-year-old daughter was standing within arm’s reach of Sanderful when he shot the victim multiple times. After the woman fell to the ground, Sanderful reloaded the handgun and fired again.
The victim suffered gunshot wounds to her head, torso and legs. Court records indicate she sustained numerous broken bones, permanent loss of vision in one eye and permanent loss of motor function in one arm.
During sentencing, the victim described hearing Sanderful reload the weapon while she lay wounded.
“You tried to violently execute me,” she told the court.
Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo said it was remarkable that the victim survived her injuries and was able to attend the sentencing hearing.
Judge Merrill Spahn echoed those remarks, telling Sanderful that without emergency medical treatment he likely would have faced a first-degree murder charge.
The victim told the court she continues to suffer chronic pain from the 19 gunshot wounds and can no longer perform some everyday tasks. She also said her daughter experiences nightmares from witnessing the attack.
Despite the injuries, the victim said she recently obtained her driver’s license and received a promotion at work.
Before sentencing, Sanderful apologized and said he hoped to one day help other men avoid making similar decisions.
Police later recovered the semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting inside Sanderful’s residence.
As part of the sentence, Sanderful must pay more than $2,000 in restitution, is prohibited from contacting the victim or their daughter and is permanently barred from possessing firearms.
The case was investigated by East Cocalico Township Police Detective Brandon Van Ausdal.
Key Points
- A Lancaster County man was sentenced to 13½ to 40 years in prison for shooting a woman multiple times during a custody dispute.
- Prosecutors said the attack occurred in front of the couple’s 3-year-old daughter.
- The victim survived 19 gunshot wounds and addressed the court during sentencing.
