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Authorities in Pennsylvania are investigating a tragic incident involving a mother of four and her long-time boyfriend, who were found dead in what is being treated as a potential murder-suicide. The discovery was made after one of their children returned home from a playdate and raised an alarm about a situation inside the house.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio has identified the deceased as 39-year-old Sarah Rice and her boyfriend, 42-year-old Greg A. Johnson. Both individuals sustained gunshot wounds to the head, though the precise circumstances surrounding their deaths are still under investigation, as stated by the coroner’s office on January 5.
The Bethlehem Police Department reported that the grim discovery occurred on the night of January 2. An adult had dropped off a child at the residence around 10:15 p.m. following a playdate. The child quickly returned outside to inform the adult of a “serious issue” within the home, prompting immediate police response.
Upon arrival, officers found Rice and Johnson in the basement, next to a firearm. The coroner confirmed that Rice was pronounced dead at the location, while Johnson was transported to St. Luke’s University Hospital, where he was declared dead at 11:39 p.m.
Inside the home, two other children of the couple and an additional adult, who were reportedly unaware of the shooting, were found uninjured and were safely escorted out by police.
Two of the couple’s other children and another adult, who police said was unaware of the shootings, were also discovered inside the home and safely removed from the residence.
According to police, that adult is not considered a suspect.
Sarah Rice’s Sister Described “Unimaginable Loss”
Following the fatal shooting, Rice’s sister Janelle Rice started a GoFundMe to support the family.
“As many of you may already know, we have suffered an unimaginable loss,” she wrote. “We have lost a beloved mother, daughter, wife, and friend to a senseless act of violence.”
She described her sister’s death as a “horrific act of harm.”
“I am humbly asking our village to come together and give whatever you are able to help provide this beautiful soul with a proper farewell,” she continued, “and to ensure her three young daughters—ages 8, 4, and 2—receive the care and support they will need in the days ahead.”
Rice also leaves behind a 24-year-old daughter, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
Rice—who worked as a sales associate at an area gas station—was described by those who knew her as a devoted mom.
“She was very well loved,” friend Danielle Rau told the outlet. “Her whole life revolved around her children.”
Family and friends have said that although the couple was not married, they’d been together for more than two decades.
Police described the incident as a “possible murder-suicide” but have declined to provide any additional information.
“The Bethlehem Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division is continuing the investigation with assistance from the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office,” they noted in the statement. “At this time, there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the community.”
