17-Year-Old Gwendolyn Smith Found Dead Inside Her Stepfather's Bedford Township Home

Law enforcement officers say the suspected shooter, a former bowling coach connected to the 17-year-old's club team, eventually turned the gun on himself.

Gwendolyn Smith, a recent high school graduate, was found dead inside her stepfather's home in Bedford Township, leaving a community in shock. As investigators work to piece together what happened, the motive remains unclear.

Authorities say 33-year-old Ryne Leist entered the home on W. Sterns Road on June 14 and shot Smith multiple times before taking his own life. "At this time, the point of entry and access remains under investigation," Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said.

Monroe County Sheriff Office also recently confirmed in a press release, "The coroner has ruled the death of Gwendolyn Smith as a homicide. The cause of death for Ryne Leist has been ruled as suicide. The manner of death for both individuals were gunshot wounds."

Smith, a 2025 graduate of Bedford High School, was part of a club bowling team Leist coached. Although initial reports suggested he wasn't affiliated with Bedford Public Schools, Goodnough later clarified that Leist did serve as a coach for the club team, though he was not a paid employee of the district.

A photo of Leist with the team appeared in the 2024–2025 school yearbook, confirming his involvement. Leist was previously employed at Forestview Lanes in Temperance, where he was paid for his coaching role.

Authorities believe he resigned from the bowling alley a short time before the shooting, but an exact timeline or reason for his departure remains unclear.

Investigators are also looking into a communication between Leist and Smith that took place five days before the incident.

Goodnough did not disclose the nature of that exchange and said the length of their relationship remains unknown. However, he emphasized, "Gwendolyn did not consider the relation between the two of them to be romantic."

Goodnough emphasized that the murder-suicide is not connected to a separate incident in Raisin Township involving two teenagers found dead from gunshot wounds.

He praised his team for their work during what he described as a very difficult period and assured the public that there is no ongoing threat.

The sheriff noted that Bedford Local Schools have activated their crisis management team to support students affected by Smith's death. Community members in need of additional resources are encouraged to contact central dispatch for assistance.

Meanwhile, Smith's father, Matt Kennerson, offered a heartbreaking glimpse into her life through a collection of personal photos — each one a reminder of the light she carried. In some, she wore face paint and a carefree smile; in others, she laughed beside him, full of life and joy.

There were pictures from her high school graduation and sweet childhood moments, including one where she grinned proudly, her front teeth missing.

The pain in Kennerson's tribute was palpable — his deep sorrow, guilt, and enduring love pouring through his words as he mourned a daughter he adored and couldn't protect.

Bedford School Superintendent Carl Shultz has also organized a GoFundMe campaign for Smith, which by the time of publication has raised $20,902 of its $22,000 goal, with the community rallying to honor a life taken far too soon.

He said he felt a deep responsibility to support Smith's family, "and make sure they had the resources necessary to be able to take care of what they needed to due to this horrible tragedy."

As both a parent and an educator, Shultz was deeply moved by the family's pain. "They're extremely strong and they're doing everything they can to hold everything together, but I was just trying to help out as much as I could," he noted.

Shultz also added, "This tragic and unnecessary loss cannot be explained. It has shaken our entire Bedford community, and our hearts and prayers go out to Gwen's family and the many friends whose lives she touched so deeply."

Shultz also paid tribute to Smith as an extraordinary young woman whose presence left a lasting impression on the school community.

In a message shared after her death, he spoke of the deep sorrow surrounding her loss, highlighting the kindness, energy, and joy Smith brought to everyone around her.

Her stepmother, Heather Smith, also shared the family's heartbreak in a post that captured the depth of their grief. She described Smith as a kind and talented young woman, cherished by many, and expressed the unimaginable pain of losing a child.

Referring to Smith as her middle daughter and her baby, she conveyed how deeply the loss has shattered those who loved her most.

Smith is remembered for the lasting impact she had on those around her. She stood out not only for her academic excellence but also for her artistic talents and athletic achievements — shining in the school's music programs and making her mark on the bowling team.

Above all, Smith is being celebrated for her kindness, her radiant spirit, and the happiness she brought to others. Her sudden and senseless death has left the Bedford community heartbroken, struggling to make sense of a loss that defies explanation.

In the wake of the tragedy, the outpouring of support reflects the deep love and admiration so many felt for her, as well as the strength of a community united in grief and remembrance.

In another heartbreaking case, the tragedy occurred in Dalton, Georgia, leaving the families of a suspect's wife and girlfriend reeling in grief.

Around 6 p.m., on Friday, May 23, Dalton police were dispatched to perform a welfare check on a woman whose co-workers reported she had not been seen or heard from for several days.

Officers knocked on the door of the woman's residence but received no response. They were eventually let in by apartment staff, and immediately discovered the woman's body with a gunshot wound to the head.

She was identified as 35-year-old Rebeca Nicole Akins. Detectives were then notified and they began investigating. They found surveillance footage dated Wednesday, May 21, showing the suspect leaving the premises around 6 p.m.

As the investigation progressed, they tracked the man's car to another apartment complex on 1805 Shadow Lane. As they awaited a search warrant for a unit in the complex on Saturday morning, police saw a man approaching that same unit and opening it with a key.

The man came back outside and called 911 to report two dead bodies, who would be identified as 33-year-old Cindel Mae Rhoden and 37-year-old Kevin Andrew Akins. Police later learned who dialed emergency services was Cindel's father.

Upon reviewing this scene, investigators determined that Kevin shot and killed Cindel before turning the gun on himself. Kevin was married to Rebeca, while also in a relationship with Cindel, who was five months pregnant.

In an updated police report, preliminary findings also revealed that Kevin first murdered his wife, Rebeca, at her residence on 1320 Murray Avenue during the early morning hours of May 21, before heading to Cindel's to kill her and himself.

Following her passing, Rebeca's younger sister, Emily Landen, created a GoFundMe page. "On May 23rd we received the worst news we could possibly receive. My older sister Nicole was tragically taken away from us by the man she had loved for over half of her life. This has broken all of us beyond words. That is all I will say on that matter," Emily began.

She went on to explain that Rebeca had been with Kevin for 20 years, and "all of her financials were tied up in his." Emily said Rebeca was listed in Kevin's life insurance policy and, given the nature of their deaths, her family was unsure how that would impact their ability to cover funeral costs.

"We want to give her a service that she deserved, celebrating her kindness, her happiness, and her unwavering love. We cannot take on this burden alone, but we do not want our situations to prevent her having the service she deserves," Emily wrote.

She added that she wanted to celebrate the life Rebeca lived and the friends she made along the way. Her family plans to raise $18,000 and, as of this writing, they have collected $1,640.

Cindel's family also launched a GoFundMe campaign, led by a woman named Ashley Barker. The campaign description revealed that Cindel was already a mother to two daughters by the time she was expecting a baby boy with Kevin.

Her son would have been born this September. Cindel posted a photo of her ultrasound in March of this year, with the caption, "Coming in September 2025."

In the description of her family's GoFundMe, Ashley described Cindel as a woman who was devoted to her work as a single mother trying to navigate life.

"Cindel was in a relationship with a man who was married to his estranged wife and she fell victim [to] manipulation," Ashley said of Cindel’s relationship with Kevin, whom she accused of "taking the coward's way out."

"Cindel was more than just a victim of this tragedy she was kind, full of life, and a devoted mom doing her best for her girls. Her daughters are now in the care of family, but they need help [sic]," she continued.

Unfortunately, Cindel didn't have life insurance. Ashley said the funds raised will provide for Cindel's funeral, her daughters' basic needs, and securing a more stable future for them.

"We believe in the power of community and hope you'll stand with us during this time. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers," Ashley concluded. Cindel's family aims to raise $20,000; as of this writing, they have collected $3,041.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.