A tragic murder-suicide in Michigan has left a community in shock after a former volunteer bowling coach fatally shot a 17-year-old girl he once mentored, before turning the gun on himself inside her home.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, when 33-year-old Ryne Leist of Temperance entered the residence of Gwendolyn Smith in Bedford Township.
Leist, who previously served as a volunteer coach at a local bowling alley, allegedly shot Smith multiple times before taking his own life, Sheriff Troy Goodnough confirmed during a press conference held on Wednesday, June 18.
Smith’s stepfather made the heartbreaking discovery after returning home that evening, finding both his stepdaughter and Leist dead inside the house.
The nature of the relationship between Leist and Smith remains unclear. Sheriff Goodnough noted that while the two had been in communication as recently as five days prior to the shooting, “the victim did not consider their relationship to be romantic.” Investigators have not yet determined a motive, though Smith’s stepfather offered insight into the disturbing dynamic in a Facebook comment shared on June 16, referencing messages his daughter had received from Leist.
“I’ve seen enough of the emails he sent my daughter before he killed her to know it’s not speculation,” he wrote. “He deserves to rot in a special hell.”
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