MONROE COUNTY, Mich. – Four people are dead after two potential murder-suicides happened within days of each other in Monroe County.
One case involves two 16-year-olds who were found fatally shot in Raisinville Township, and the other involves a Bedford Township bowling coach who allegedly shot and killed a 17-year-old girl before killing himself. The cases are unrelated.
Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough held a press conference on Wednesday, June 18, to release more details about what happened.
Here’s everything we know about each case:
Bowling coach, 17-year-old found dead
On Saturday, June 14, Gwendolyn Faye Smith, 17, of Temperance, and Ryne Jacob Leist, 33, also of Temperance, were found dead at a home on West Sterns Road, east of Jackman Road, in Bedford Township.
Authorities believe that the 33-year-old shot Gwendolyn multiple times, killing her, before he killed himself.
Gwendolyn’s stepfather arrived home and found their bodies, according to the sheriff.
The sheriff also said they are working to determine how Leist entered the house.
Bowling coach resigned shortly before incident
Leist worked as a bowling coach at the high school that Gwendolyn recently graduated from, but was employed by Forest View Lanes, and not the school district.
In an initial release, the sheriff’s office said that he wasn’t a coach, and corrected themselves during the press conference and clarified that leadership officials had previously provided them with that information.
Leist had recently left his job at Forest View Lanes and, according to the district, had served as an assistant coach for the boys’ bowling team since the fall. He was reportedly paid through the bowling alley.
“He met the criteria; he completed the full background check. There was no sign that this was not a qualified hire, that something could go wrong,” said Dr. Carl Shultz, Superintendent of Bedford Public Schools.
Shultz also said Leist completed all required coursework for coaching. Forest View Lanes declined to comment.
Relationship unclear
The details about their relationship are unclear, but authorities say it is believed that Gwendolyn didn’t consider their relationship to be romantic.
However, five days before the murder-suicide, there was a communication between the two of them that was being looked into. The sheriff did not release any more details about that.
The sheriff also said they don’t have any information about any other complaints made against Leist involving other teens he was coaching.
Celebration of Life for Gwendolyn
A celebration of life is being held for Gwendolyn at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Bedford Football Stadium.
A GoFundMe has also been created to support Gwendolyn’s family.
“We are heartbroken as a community, as a district,” Shultz said. “We’re gonna try to pick the pieces up, but I don’t know how that’s gonna look for the near future. This is a big loss for our community.”
Two teens, 16, found fatally shot
Just days after the murder-suicide in Bedford Township, deputies were called to the scene of another potential murder-suicide in Raisinville Township.
At about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, deputies responded to Heiss Road near Steffas Road after receiving a report that two teens had been found dead.
Deputies arrived and discovered the two teens in the roadway outside of a car with fatal gunshot wounds.
The teens have been identified as 16-year-old Faith Renee Hamilton and 16-year-old Landon Bryan Lafond.
Teens found by victim’s uncle
The sheriff said that Faith’s uncle was the person who had called dispatch and reported finding the two teens.
It is believed Faith’s uncle used a phone app to track Faith’s location, which is how he found the teens.
Writings found that indicate suspect’s intention
The two teens were believed to be dating and had communicated with each other earlier that day, according to the sheriff.
Faith is being considered a victim, and Landon is being considered a suspect, but at this time, the sheriff’s office isn’t labeling this as a murder-suicide.
They are waiting on the coroner’s report for the official cause and manner of death, but detectives did find writings in the suspect vehicle “indicating the suspect’s intention to take both his and Faith’s life,” according to the sheriff.
Authorities also say they are investigating whether the suspect drove Faith there or if she arrived at the location in another way.
Even though Bedford Township Schools and Airport Community Schools are out of session for the summer, both have activated crisis response teams to provide support for the community.
The superintendent of Airport Community Schools released the following statement:
Dear Jet Families,
It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I share the tragic news of the passing of two of our students. The Airport Community Schools family is mourning this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy.
During times like this, the strength of our community is more important than ever. Our district crisis response team has been activated, and grief counselors are available for students, staff, and families who need support. We encourage anyone who is struggling to reach out- we are here to help each other through this. Support from our crisis team, along with the Monroe ISD team will be available in the high school media center tomorrow, Thursday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
We also ask that you keep the families in your thoughts and respect their privacy as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.
This is a time for compassion, support, and unity. Please take care of yourselves and one another as we grieve together.
Ryan Duvall, Superintendent of Airport Community Schools
The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate both cases and will release more information when it’s available.
You can watch the full press conference from Wednesday, June 18, in the video below: