Dad Says Coach Should 'Rot In a Special Hell' After Teen Daughter Is Killed In Apparent Murder-Suicide

What police in Bedford Township, Michigan do know is that Ryne Leist, 33, went to the home of Gwendolyn Smith, a teen he once coached, on June 14, and shot her multiple times before killing himself.

What they don't know is why he did it, or even what the relationship -- if any -- was between him and the teen, aside from his work as an apparent "volunteer" bowling coach.

"Details of their relationship are not clear at this time," said Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough in a press conference covered by ABC affiliate WGTV this past Wednesday. He did note, though, that the victim did "not consider the relationship between the two to be romantic."

According to The New York Post, though, the victim's father uncovered messages the coach had been sending his daughter before the shootings, as detailed in a Facebook discussion group for Bedford Township.

"I’ve seen enough of the emails he sent my daughter before he killed her to know it’s not speculation," he commented June 16 on a post about the double-shooting after one user urged others not to jump to conclusions. "He deserves to rot in a special hell."

Goodnough was able to confirm that Leist and Smith had been in communication five days before the murder-suicide, but said he was unable to expand on that statement at this time. He did say that there is no indication the two were ever in a dating relationship.

In an update from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office about the case, the organization clarified misinformation that had been spreading stating that Leist was employed as a coach at Bedford Public Schools. He was not. Instead, Leist was purportedly a "volunteer" coach at a local bowling alley where the school teams practiced, according to Goodnough.

As noted by CBS affiliate WTOL, there are numerous photos circulating online that are reportedly from the Bedford High School 2024-25 yearbook and show "Coach Ryan" next to the schools' bowling team, which includes Smith among their number.

In his press conference, attempting to clear up the confusion, Goodnough acknowledged that "in fact a picture did in fact appear of him and the Bowling Team in the 2024-2025 yearbook." But, he added, his understanding is that while Leist was a bowling coach for the club, but he was not a paid employee of the school district, thus the "volunteer" status.

Goodnough explained that Leist was employed by Forestview Lanes, where he worked as an employee and the team practiced. At the time of the shooting, though, he was no longer employed there, with Goodnough saying he'd resigned a "short time period" before the murder-suicide. Authorities do not know why he left that position.

Bedford Public Schools superintendent Carl Schultz described Smith as "an extraordinary young woman" in a Facebook post published on the school's page. "Gwen was a gifted student who excelled academically, and her talents extended far beyond the classroom."

"She was a passionate artist in our music programs and a standout athlete on our bowling team," he continued. "Most of all, Gwen will be remembered for her kindness, her bright spirit, and the joy she brought to those around her."

He also shared a link to a GoFundMe page he'd set up to support the family. "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," he wrote on that page.

"In times like these, we are reminded of the strength and compassion of the Bedford community," Schultz added. "Let us come together to honor Gwen’s memory and to support one another through the pain of this loss."

In explaining why he'd set up the GoFundMe, Schultz told CBS affiliate WTOL, "I was compelled to really help them out and make sure they had the resources necessary to be able to take care of what they needed to due to this horrible tragedy."

"I'm always a parent first, I'm an educator second, but as a parent, I don't know how you get up the next day," he continued. "And 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."

"It’s been a difficult four and a half days," Goodnough said in his press conference. "We’re here today to give the community some answers, to put their minds at rest that there is no danger to them. And we will, like every investigation that the sheriff’s office handles, do a complete, thorough, concise investigation."