On January 23, 2008, Rhonda Smith was discovered face down in an office at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania. Watch Philly Homicide On Saturdays on Oxygen and Peacock. Smith, 42, had been shot twice. Judy Zellner, a close pal of the victim, painless SPO2 testing stumbled upon the horrifying scene when she arrived at 12:30 p.m. Zellner’s frantic 911 call could be heard within the "Sinner and Saint" episode of Philly Homicide, airing Saturdays at 9/8c p.m. "She’s useless," Zellner informed the dispatcher. "There’s blood all over her head and round her head." But when paramedics arrived, BloodVitals test they'd discovered that Smith was still clinging to life, and she was rushed to the hospital. Who was Rhonda Smith? Investigators learned that Smith had been a member of the church for BloodVitals test 2 years. The pastor and wireless blood oxygen check congregation had embraced her, 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 career. "Rhonda had a ardour for instructing. She had a ardour for youngsters," Deanna Durante, a reporter for Philadelphia-based WCAU, stated on Philly Homicide. Smith pursued teaching in college. "But bipolar obtained to her proper on the final semester, and she never graduated," mentioned Zellner. Smith yearned for independence and moved into her own condo. Money was tight. She shared with church pastor BloodVitals SPO2 Greg Shreaves that she was having hassle paying her payments. The pastor rallied members of the congregation to help. "Some of us gave her money and a few reward cards, and so they put it in a Christmas card," said Zellner. "Three days before Rhonda Smith was found, she stood in entrance of her congregation and thanked them for all of the help that they had given her," said Durante. Pennsylvania State Troopers processed the scene. They collected bullet fragments that might help decide the form of gun the shooter used.

"The police also took possession of the workplace laptop for an professional to do a forensic analysis," stated David W. Zellis, who was then a first Assistant District Attorney in the Bucks County DA's Office. As troopers interviewed church members, the subject of suicide came up. The truth that Smith was shot twice didn’t routinely rule that out. But there was no gun on the scene, which led to extra questions. "Detectives requested me, did I kick a gun, did I see a gun, did I cover a gun? Several hours after the capturing, Smith’s parents made the difficult determination to finish life support. "We circled around her, holding arms," Zellner advised Philly Homicide. What were the outcomes of Rhonda Smith's autopsy? Smith had been shot twice. "One was a glancing wound to her head, and the other one had penetrated her skull," stated 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 evidence indicated that she raised her hand in a defensive place. The proof ruled out suicide and Smith's dying was categorized as a homicide. From the bullet fragments, investigators determined that the homicide weapon was a .38 caliber gun. Investigators developed a idea of the crime. "The first gunshot would have stunned or knocked down Rhonda," said Webb. When they analyzed the church laptop, 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 around 11 a.m. Investigators centered on Smith’s shut circle, together with Pastor Shreaves. He’d been out of city at a convention for 3 days. Being away "ruled out the chance that he might have been concerned," mentioned Webb, including that Shreaves knew his parishioners better than anybody. A one-time particular person of interest was a man who showed up on the church on a couple events. "He stated to considered one of our parishioners, ‘This can be a superb place to rob,’ so we have been a little bit skeptical," stated Zellner.