A Michigan town is struggling to make sense of a heartbreaking tragedy after a 17-year-old girl was killed in what investigators believe was a murder-suicide. The case has left everyone confused because the victim, Gwen Smith, didn’t appear to have any obvious connection to the man who shot her before taking his own life.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year-old Ryne Leist forced his way into the home of Smith’s stepfather on June 14, 2025. Once inside, he shot the recent Bedford High School graduate multiple times before turning the gun on himself. Investigators still don’t know how Leist got into the house or why he targeted Gwen in the first place, reported the New York Post.
The case gets even murkier when it comes to Leist’s ties to the school. He had reportedly been coaching Bedford’s club bowling team, but officials couldn’t initially confirm whether he was actually employed by the district. Sheriff Troy Goodnough later clarified that Leist was a volunteer through Forest View Lanes, a local bowling alley, but the confusion only deepened when people noticed he was listed as “coach” in the school’s 2024-25 yearbook.
Parents are understandably shaken. “It has shaken our confidence in administration,” one anonymous parent told WTOL. School officials insist Leist passed all required background checks, with Superintendent Carl Shultz explaining, “Every coach who works with anyone through bowling at the youth level, they have to go through a national background check.”
But here’s another twist—authorities later revealed Leist wasn’t even working for Forest View Lanes at the time of the shooting. He apparently quit a “short time” before the murder, though investigators still don’t have an exact timeline.
The biggest question remains: What was the connection between Leist and Gwen? Sheriff Goodnough confirmed they weren’t in a relationship and that Gwen didn’t see him as a romantic partner. However, the two had been in contact just five days before the shooting. Investigators are still piecing together their communications, but so far, no clear motive has emerged.
Gwen’s stepfather, Levi Smith, isn’t holding back. After seeing speculation in a local Facebook group, he fired back in a post, saying, “I’ve seen enough of the emails he sent my daughter before he killed her to know it’s not speculation.” He added, “He deserves to rot in a special hell.”
Meanwhile, the community has rallied around Gwen’s family, with a GoFundMe set up by Superintendent Shultz raising nearly $21,000 so far. But as the investigation continues, one thing is painfully clear—this small town is left with more questions than answers.