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Thursday, March 28, 2024
Generic Crime
Generic Crime

A day after his wife’s burned body was found inside their mobile home, a man was found dead in his car Tuesday, an apparent gunshot wound through his head.

Wesley Ryan Smith, 27, was a person of interest in his wife’s death after the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Alachua County Fire Rescue investigated a fire Monday at the mobile home, located at 809 Victoria Court, according to an ACSO press release.

When ACSO deputies and fire rescue arrived, the flames had spread to 50 percent of the home, according to the release.

After extinguishing the fire, firefighters discovered the body of Aren Nichole Snyder, Smith’s 19-year-old wife, according to the release.

A medical examiner ruled Snyder died from a gunshot wound to her head, according to the release.

ACSO then began investigating her murder.

Monday night, detectives ruled Smith as a person of interest and searched for his car, according to the release.

At about 4:25 a.m. Tuesday, deputies found Smith’s car at the Holden Park Boat Ramp, located at 9725 Holden Park Road, according to the release.

He was found dead inside from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the release.

ACSO is investigating the incidents as a murder and suicide, according to the release.

Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @MerylKornfield

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