The Church Lady Murder: Imaginary Love Triangle Ends in Tragedy

do you ever wish you had a magic mirror that could give you all the answers in the tale of snow white an evil queen learns from her magic mirror that she's not the fairest one of all her stepdaughter snow white is thus planting the rotten seed of envy that festers inside the queen for years but life isn't easy for snow white after the queen runs her out of town snow white has no family to turn to she basically becomes a live-in maid to seven small coal miners she's just living life trying to make the best of the situation but the queen can't see any of that she sees only a threat and jealousy unchecked unchallenged turns her into a poison apple murderer you around all because an enchanted piece of home decor told the queen someone else is better than you they say jealousy is a disease but maybe it's really a symptom of misguided insecurity of misunderstanding each other and of forgetting that we all struggle even if we hide it in today's story one woman's jealousy clouds her perception until she can only see red i'm harvey guillen and this is killer stories so it's a wintry day in march 2005 but in this story the time is less important than the setting because it takes place in a town where life moves more slowly where the people are less interested in fads and trends where picture-perfect homes overlook rolling hills and deep forest it's such an idyllic place that lassie the heroic tv dog was actually invented here yep she was based on a real life dog named toots what i'm saying is springfield township pennsylvania is the epitome of small town america and there along a two-lane country road an old church opens its doors to the cold air trinity evangelical lutheran has stood for over 250 years it's older than the united states and all that time it served a loyal congregation including mary jane fonder mary jane has been attending trinity for over a decade ever since she moved to town to take care of her aging parents after they passed away she stayed in the house which she shares with her brother she's never been lucky in love and some folks at the church can tell that mary jane is lonely but she's really made trinity her home not only does she attend sunday service each week she also volunteers sings in the choir and now that she's in her 60s age is just a number she's an active member of the seniors group the prime timers everyone has really welcomed her even if they find her um eccentric that's the word people use like yeah mary jane oh she's kind oh she's so helpful really really do like her but um she is eccentric it might be their nice way of alluding to her affinity for that are never a style quite right or perhaps they're referring to her gift of gab because mary jane likes to talk about anything and everything and once she gets going she doesn't stop no boy she's actually been described as the aunt you never want to sit next to at the thanksgiving table or maybe her fellow church members just send something about mary jane that they can't put into words just yet that she's not really as nice as she seems and one day in march 2005 mary jane is giving something to talk about trinity's new spiritual leader pastor gray shrieves pastor greg is fresh out of seminary but he's no spring chicken he's actually in his 50s and starting his second career up until recently he was a pastor in the church and he was a pastor he was a golf pro and was even working for the pga that's when a good friend pointed out that greg just has a way with people that he'd make a great pastor if he ever wanted to take that route he's kind compassionate likable everything you want in a leader and trinity has needed a new pastor for a while so now here he is a perfect fit when mary jane meets pastor greg let's just say sparks fly but only in one direction he's a bachelor a man of god he has piercing blue eyes and mary jane develops a full-blown slow motion rom-com crush minus the comedy to be totally clear the pastor never does anything wrong here he never crosses any boundaries with mary jane or anyone else at this point he has no clue how mary jane feels about him when she goes from attending one service per week to two or three or when she starts delivering groceries to the pastor's house he just thinks she's super devout in fact everybody's being so warm and welcoming to him mary jane doesn't even stand out from the rest of the congregation for the first year at least in the summer of 2006 pastor greg has his first memorable interaction with mary jane fonder and if you're wondering yes every time i say her full name i am absolutely thinking of actress and fitness guru jane fonda but the mary jane fonder we're talking about sits down at a church luncheon one day and who sits across from her but her number one crush pastor greg by the end of the meal he offers her a new volunteer job designing the bulletin boards she jumps at the chance she also offers a new volunteer job designing the bulletin boards she jumps at the chance she also completely misinterprets the pastor's intentions suddenly those bulletin boards need all of her attention but she's really there to hover around pretty quickly he starts to realize what everyone else was hinting at when they called her eccentric getting into a conversation with mary jane is like getting stuck in quicksand it seems harmless at first but then she just pulls you in and won't let you go pastor greg's about to learn that the more he tries to escape the harder it is to get free to get any work done pastor greg has learned to gently dodge mary jane slipping out a side door lingering in the sanctuary until she's gone the usual small town evasions but one day that fall about a year and a half after pastor greg took the job mary jane corners him in his office it's the first time they've shared a small space with each other and they've been together for a long time for a one-on-one chat and when she takes a seat she's basically like let me begin at the beginning she literally tells him her entire life story how she grew up in philadelphia had a great life in the city used to be a beautiful dancer and how that all changed when she moved to take care of her parents it's sprawling emotional and entirely out of the blue pastor greg tries to be a shoulder to lean on it occurs to him that maybe mary jane talks so much because she just needs somebody to really listen it's a nice thought but it's incorrect the truth is mary jane is just beating around the bush she's there to tell pastor greg she has feelings for him except it ends up being less of a confession and more of an accusation she says to him you can't deny what's going on between us and in pastor greg's mind he's like there is no between us but look people get little crushes on their pastors all the time it's normal okay i know i did did not maybe but according to this someone else not me to the website married to a pastor.com and yes it's a real website it's a website created by a pastor's wife for other people married to pastors and it offers this insight people crush on their pastors all the time and usually they're really in love with the job or the position not the person why would he why would i be in love with the pastor that's insane that's exactly what pastor greg thinks is happening here so he simply tells mary jane they can't continue this conversation he files a confidential report with the church council and then he leaves it at that so does she well for a while in the midst of all this won't they or won't they drama a new member joins Trinity Church. Rhonda Smith is in her 40s, and she's seen tough times in the past few years. She has bipolar disorder, and even though she's bright and hardworking, Rhonda can't always work full-time. She's barely squeaking by when it comes to rent. Rhonda does have supportive parents, but at Trinity, she finds a new place where she really belongs. She joins the church choir and fits right in, and suddenly, she has a full social calendar and a tremendous support system because everybody loves Rhonda. Everybody except Mary Jane Fonder. Unlike Rhonda, Mary Jane doesn't get invited to social events outside of Trinity's walls. Nobody calls her up and asks her out to dinner or to go shopping. So when she looks at Rhonda, she's basically seen snow white, surrounded by all the woodland creatures, and instead of befriending Rhonda or asking her to hang out, Mary Jane perceives her as a threat. Someone who gets what she can't have. Of course, in person, Mary Jane is cordial, but secretly, there's a dark knot of jealousy growing inside her. She doesn't see all the struggles that Rhonda's been through to get here. All Mary Jane sees is a fairytale princess who has everything. The fairest of them all, even if that's not reality. Eventually, Mary Jane starts to think other things about Rhonda that aren't true. Through this thick haze of jealousy, all Mary Jane sees is a princess meeting her prince, Pastor Greg. That's right, Mary Jane gets suspicious that the two of them are carrying on a secret affair, even though they barely know each other. A few weeks after, Mary Jane's awkward, you can't deny what's going on between us, convo, she calls Pastor Greg's home phone number. He's not there to answer, so she leaves a long-winded voicemail. With Mary Jane, there is no other kind. And she starts doing this multiple times per week, for months on end. She never talks about anything in particular. She might tell him about a dream she had, or ask about a conference he attended. It's always something mundane. Still, it gets to the point that Pastor Greg has to ask her to stop with the voicemails. When she ignores him, he blocks her number. She starts calling from a different number. By the end of 2007, he's at his wit's end. It all comes to a head when he realizes she's crossed a major boundary. He learns she's been letting herself into his house and leaving groceries in his fridge. While he's not there, yes, a nice gesture, but one he finds deeply unsettling, given their history. But his requests for her to stop, as usual, are ignored. After Mary Jane once again leaves food by the door, the pastor refuses to accept her gift. It sits on his porch and rots. And then he gets one more call from Mary Jane. But it's not the voice of the kindly, well-meaning church lady he's used to. No. Now that darkness people may have been sensing in her starts to show. Her tone is seething with anger. By the end of their talk, the pastor is frightened enough that he tells her, I think you should consider finding a new church. Once again, she doesn't listen. Mary Jane sits in a pew at Sunday service in January 2008 when a guest speaker takes the stage. It's Rhonda Smith. Her friends recently took up a collection on her behalf, and so many people donated that she was gifted a couple thousand dollars, enough to cover her rent and catch up on bills. She's so touched that she gives a heartfelt speech, thanking everyone. There's barely a dry eye in the house. But Mary Jane watches this all unfold with an utter confusion. Mary Jane wasn't told about Rhonda's collection. She's upset nobody asked her to donate. If they had asked, would she have contributed? Who knows, right? Right now, Rhonda is up there getting all of the adoration Mary Jane thinks she never got. From the choir members, the congregation, and in her mind, from the pastor. Whether or not this is the moment Mary Jane resolves to kill Rhonda, we can't say for sure. But soon, she goes home and digs up a relic from her past. This episode is brought to you by Petivity. Cat parents are basically mealtime detectives. Who actually ate? Did they finish? Was that less than yesterday? The new Petivity smart feeder for cats turns everyday meals into meaningful health insights, helping you identify changes in your cat's habits and be more proactive about their health. Plus, you can feed them from anywhere. Take the mystery out of mealtime. Visit Petivity.com. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tramphya offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start. Tramphya is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self-inject Tramphya, proper training is required. 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Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-5255. On January 23, 2008, Rhonda Smith sits in the church office browsing the web. It's a Wednesday morning and the place is quiet, deserted. Even Pastor Greg isn't around. He's away at a conference. He knows Rhonda could use a few extra dollars for rent, so he hired her to look after the office while he's gone. Which is a good thing. She's a good person. She's a good person. She's a good person. But just one hour left in Rhonda's shift, she gets an unexpected visitor, Mary Jane. We don't know what's said between them or if any words are spoken at all. We only know that all activity on Rhonda's computer stops at 1054 AM and that Mary Jane raises her gun and shoots at Rhonda twice from halfway across the room. Then Mary Jane gets her hair done. In fact, she speeds to her hairdresser. It's a long drive and she has to make an 11.30 appointment. She gets there early and makes sure to sign in right at 11.22. She gets her wig style and walks away with an alibi. Around 12.30, the woman who cleans twice a week arrives at Trinity. When she walks through the church, she's pissed. Somebody left the front door unlocked. She storms up to the office to chew someone out, but everything on her. Her mind melts away the second she finds Rhonda, slumped on the floor. The woman calls 911 and EMTs rush over to find that Rhonda is actually still alive. Despite being shot in the head, her parents, friends, and fellow church members gather around her hospital bed, praying she'll pull through. But Rhonda never regains consciousness. She dies, having never known the deep-seated rage Mary Jane felt toward her. The murder investigation gets underway within hours. Led by state trooper Greg He's logical, determined, and has 10 years experience as a detective. But the local murder rate is so low, he's barely ever touched a homicide case. So he's partnered up with Corporal Bob Egan, who's worked dozens of homicides over a long career. They make a solid team. But they're up against two big hurdles. One, they don't have the murder weapon. And two, they can't fathom a motive. Who would want to kill Rhonda? Almost no one suspects Mary Jane, at first. How could they? For all of the talking she does, she's never hinted at any murderous jealousy. Her list of interests is number one, church, and number two, church, end of list. Being a faithful, loving Christian is her whole personality. No one's thinking Rhonda was killed for having a romantic relationship with Pastor Greg, because they didn't have one. And really, no one's thinking she was killed for driving a wedge into Mary Jane and Pastor Greg's romantic relationship, because they also didn't have one. Now, there are a couple of people at church who think maybe, just maybe, Mary Jane could have killed Rhonda. That she's secretly capable of such a dark and heinous act, because they remember that Mary Jane hasn't always been considered an innocent, nice, old lady. After all, this is a small town, with a long memory. But, the detectives don't know about that, yet. Instead, Stumpo and Egan consider the possibility that this was a robbery. But nothing was taken, so that seems unlikely. And if it wasn't a robbery, the theory is that it had to be personal. But whoever wanted to kill Rhonda must have known she was working, at the church that day. And you know what? Only a few people knew about Rhonda's part-time gig. The woman who was supposed to clean the church that day? She didn't know. Pastor Greg didn't tell people he'd hire Rhonda. It was only for a few days. Not exactly breaking news. But maybe somebody found out she was working there, by chance. Detectives check phone records, and learn about three calls that came in just two days before Rhonda was killed. We don't know what the caller wanted, but each call connected, and was brief. As if they heard Rhonda's voice pick up on the other end, and they just hung up. It doesn't take long for Stumpo to find the caller's phone number. And that's one way the detectives zero in on Mary Jane Fonder. Stumpo also happens upon this fact he finds very interesting. Apparently, Mary Jane purchased a.38 caliber gun over 13 years ago. It was one type of revolver that could be a match for the murder weapon. So, he digs a little deeper, and learns the strange story of the day she bought the gun. Back in 1994, Mary Jane was working at a Denny's. One day, her manager decided to add a lasagna dish to the menu, which doesn't sound like a grand slam to me. But, this made Mary Jane furious. And it's for a reason I never would have guessed. Mary Jane was lying. She was livid because she felt that was her lasagna recipe. So, she marched into her boss's office and accused her of recipe theft. Then, Mary Jane threatened to shoot and kill her. So, Mary Jane was fired. Sometime later, she had to attend an unemployment hearing in court. On her way there, she went and bought that.38 caliber revolver. She just didn't use it that day. About a month after Rhonda's murder, detectives finally get to know her. They get to talk to Mary Jane at the police station, and they ask her about the gun. She starts off by saying, "She never threatened to shoot her Denny's manager, no." What she actually said was, "My dear, you're not worth killing." "Eh?" And she only bought that gun because she was afraid of driving home alone at night. And she doesn't even have the gun anymore. She threw it in a lake in 1994 because she was scared of it. So far, Mary Jane's story doesn't seem all that helpful. Well, not at first, anyway. But the detectives have heard about her reputation as a chatty Cathy. So, their strategy? Just sit back and let her talk. And that's exactly what she does. For nearly four hours straight, she spills so many beans, you could make a pot of chili. To the detectives, she admits her feeling for Pastor Greg, how she felt hurt when Rhonda got invited to events and she didn't. And she tells a story about something that's been bugging her since one week before the murder. Mary Jane thinks everybody in the choir went somewhere to celebrate Rhonda's birthday without her. They slipped away after practice so she couldn't tag along. The detectives later learned there was no secret birthday celebration. It was just another misperception on Mary Jane's part. Her magic mirror had once again distorted the facts. But by the end of the interview, Stumpo and Egan are pretty sure Mary Jane's jealousy drove her to kill Rhonda, even though she flat out denies it. So now, they need hard evidence. That evidence bubbles to the surface a month later. A man and his eight-year-old son are fishing at a lake when the boy spots something shiny in the water. He grabs it and happily runs over to show his new prize to his dad. He thinks it's a toy gun. His dad realizes, with terror, it's a real gun and he turns it over to the police. They trace the revolver to Mary Jane. When she said she threw it in the lake, she was telling the truth, but she didn't do it back in 1994. It's only been sitting in the water for a few weeks at most. So, off it goes to a lab where a test confirms the gun is a match for the murder weapon. When investigators show up to arrest Mary Jane, on April Fool's Day, she's in the middle of a meeting for the Seniors Club, the prime timers. And she's sitting right next to Rhonda's mother. Once the prosecutors are off and running, a totally different cold case returns to the spotlight. It's a disappearance from 1993, and back then, Mary Jane was the main person of interest. Now, in light of her arrest, police want to take another look at what really happened to Edward Fonder III. Or as Mary Jane, did you know that psoriatic arthritis may progress over time and could cause permanent joint damage if left untreated? Did you know that psoriatic arthritis may progress over time and could cause permanent joint damage if left untreated? Listen to what it sounds like to be a million miles away. simple. She heard him moving through the kitchen while she was still in bed. He always went out early to get the newspaper but when she got up the paper was still on the stoop untouched and Edward was nowhere to be found. Police launched a massive search. Helicopters, dogs, volunteers combing the woods. They were able to track Edward's path to the bottom of the long driveway but that was the last sign of him. There were reports of sightings in the surrounding towns. A year later Edward's wallet turned up in a mailbox. Cash still inside. Maybe the finder was honest or maybe someone wanted police to believe Edward had just walked away from his life. Mary Jane's neighbors never bought that theory. They knew Edward walked with the cane, barely left the house and couldn't survive long without his medication. They whispered that he never made it off the property. That 12 secluded acres gave someone plenty of places to hide a body. Some even claimed Mary Jane's garbage cans were unusually heavy the day he vanished. Police spoke with Mary Jane soon after the disappearance but once she realized she was a person of interest she lawyered up and just like that the case went cold. In 2008 as Mary Jane's in jail awaiting trial her older brother becomes the sole owner of the family home. Police asked to renew their search. Of course they don't want to let her go. So prosecutors focus on nailing her for the crime they can tie her to. The murder of Rhonda Smith. In addition to finding the gun they're able to poke holes in Mary Jane's alibi. Test runs prove that she could have shot Rhonda at 10:54 and arrived at her hair appointment by 11:22. They also find bullet fragments in Mary Jane's car that match the ones that killed Rhonda. From there it's all over. It's pretty much case closed. At trial Mary Jane is found guilty of first degree murder and receives a life sentence. She's banished to a cell where the only mirror is a tarnished plate of steel. About a year later Mary Jane's struck by a sudden jolt of clarity. Rhonda appears to her in a dream and Mary Jane decides to come clean. She tells two investigative reporters she actually doesn't remember anything about the week of Rhonda's death and she comes to the conclusion that she must have committed the murder. In Snow White the evil queen never once questions whether or not her magic mirror speaks the truth. According to the Brothers Grimm she just assumes it's right. In 2018 at the age of 75 Mary Jane Fonder dies in prison. That same year her father's old property is sold to a new home. That same year her father's old property is sold to a new owner who allows police to finally carry out new searches for her father Edward and they haven't given up yet but to this day he remains missing and she's still the main suspect in his disappearance. Thanks for tuning in to Killer Stories, a Spotify podcast new episode released on Mondays. If you liked today's story and want to learn more we dropped some of our favorite sources in the episode description. If you want to learn more about the killer stories, you can go to killerstories.com/killerstories and follow us on Twitter @killerstories. Until next time, I'm Harvey Guillen, stay safe out there. you don't simply step into the season. You create it layer by layer until it finally feels like fall. Find fall your way at Ross. BJ's knows savings. This is your home, coach. Home of the Save. Join for just $20 at BJs.com/mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months. Open soon. Limited time offer, new members only. 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