On January 23, 2008, Rhonda Smith was found face down in an workplace at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania. Watch Philly Homicide On Saturdays on Oxygen and Peacock. Smith, 42, BloodVitals experience had been shot twice. Judy Zellner, an in depth buddy of the sufferer, stumbled upon the horrifying scene when she arrived at 12:30 p.m. Zellner’s frantic 911 name can be heard in the "Sinner and Saint" episode of Philly Homicide, BloodVitals wearable airing Saturdays at 9/8c p.m. "She’s lifeless," Zellner advised the dispatcher. "There’s blood throughout her head and around her head." But when paramedics arrived, they'd discovered that Smith was still clinging to life, BloodVitals home monitor and she was rushed to the hospital. Who was Rhonda Smith? Investigators learned that Smith had been a member of the church for BloodVitals SPO2 2 years. The pastor and at-home blood monitoring congregation had embraced her, BloodVitals SPO2 and she’d recently taken an element-time job there. "She couldn't handle a full-time job at the church," mentioned Zellner.
Smith's psychological well being impacted her profession. "Rhonda had a ardour for educating. She had a ardour for children," Deanna Durante, a reporter for BloodVitals SPO2 Philadelphia-primarily based WCAU, mentioned on Philly Homicide. Smith pursued teaching in school. "But bipolar acquired to her right on the final semester, and she by no means graduated," mentioned Zellner. Smith yearned for independence and moved into her own condo. Money was tight. She shared with church pastor Greg Shreaves that she was having hassle paying her payments. The pastor rallied members of the congregation to help. "Some of us gave her cash and some reward cards, they usually put it in a Christmas card," said Zellner. "Three days before Rhonda Smith was found, she stood in front of her congregation and thanked them for all of the assistance they had given her," said Durante. Pennsylvania State Troopers processed the scene. They collected bullet fragments that might help determine the sort of gun the shooter used.
"The police additionally took possession of the workplace computer for an skilled to do a forensic analysis," mentioned David W. Zellis, who was then a first Assistant District Attorney in the Bucks County DA's Office. As troopers interviewed church members, the topic of suicide came up. The fact that Smith was shot twice didn’t robotically rule that out. But there was no gun at the scene, which led to more questions. "Detectives requested me, did I kick a gun, did I see a gun, did I hide a gun? Several hours after the shooting, Smith’s mother and father made the troublesome choice to end life support. "We circled around her, BloodVitals SPO2 holding hands," Zellner informed Philly Homicide. What had been the outcomes of Rhonda Smith's autopsy? Smith had been shot twice. "One was a glancing wound to her head, and the opposite one had penetrated her skull," mentioned Richard Webb, Jr., who was then a lieutenant with the Pennsylvania State Police. The forensic pathologist noticed gunpowder stippling on Smith’s forehead and on her hand.
The proof indicated that she raised her hand in a defensive place. The proof dominated out suicide and Smith's death was categorized as a homicide. From the bullet fragments, investigators decided that the murder weapon was a .38 caliber gun. Investigators developed a idea of the crime. "The first gunshot would have stunned or knocked down Rhonda," mentioned Webb. Once they analyzed the church computer, detectives noticed that Smith logged on at 9:40 a.m. 10:58 a.m. She was discovered at 12:30 p.m. Troopers determined the murder to have occurred at round 11 a.m. Investigators centered on Smith’s close circle, including Pastor Shreaves. He’d been out of city at a convention for three days. Being away "ruled out the chance that he may have been involved," said Webb, including that Shreaves knew his parishioners higher than anybody. A one-time particular person of curiosity was a man who showed up on the church on a pair events. "He stated to one in every of our parishioners, ‘This could be an excellent place to rob,’ so we had been a bit of skeptical," mentioned Zellner.