A candlelight vigil is planned to remember a woman killed in what authorities are describing as a “murder-suicide” incident at a West Bethlehem home.
The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office Sunday afternoon identified the deceased victims as 39-year-old Sarah Rice and 42-year-old Greg A. Johnson, both of Bethlehem.
Family and friends of Sarah Rice say the pair were married and leave behind three young children. Lori Reese additionally leaves behind her mother, Lori Rice, and three sisters, as well as another 24-year-old daughter.
In a GoFundMe fundraiser, Sarah’s sister, Janelle Rice, said the community lost a “beloved mother, daughter, wife, and friend to a senseless act of violence.” As of 2 p.m. Sunday, $17,260 was raised by 264 donors toward a $150,000 goal.
“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,” Janelle Rice said.
A vigil is planned for 7:30 p.m. Sunday outside the home, in the 200 block of 10th Avenue. Organizer Danielle Rau, a close friend of the Rice family, told lehighvalleylive.com she expects over 200 people to attend.
“She was very well loved,” Rau said of Sarah.
Bethlehem Area School District officials said in a Facebook post that Rice’s children include two students in the school system. Support is being offered throughout the week for students and staff, the posting said.
District officials called the deaths “tragic” and stated, “Our hearts are with them and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time.”
On Friday, investigators discovered Rice and Johnson with gunshot wounds at the home. They were found in the basement along with a firearm, authorities said.
“The safety, well-being, and privacy of all students are our top priorities, and the district is working to provide appropriate support,” the district’s posting said Saturday. “The incident continues to be under investigation by the Bethlehem Police Department. Out of respect for the students and the sensitive nature of the situation, we will not be sharing additional details.”
City police said authorities responded to the home at 10:15 p.m. Friday, following a 911 call made by an adult who had just dropped a child off at the house after a playdate.
The child entered the home, then returned outside and reported a serious issue had occurred inside, city police said.
Sarah Rice was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:22 p.m. Friday, city police said. Johnson was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where he was pronounced dead at 11:39 p.m. Friday.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said autopsy tests are scheduled Monday to determine the exact cause and manner of their deaths.
At least two additional children and another older adult were home at the time of the incident, city police said. The adult is not a suspect and wasn’t aware the gunfire happened, according to police.
The couple’s three children have since been placed in the care of family members, authorities said. Two of them were in the home, unharmed, and were safely removed by officers, police said.
It’s unclear what led up to the incident. Both Bethlehem City Police Captain William Audelo and Pamela Lehman, spokeswoman for the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, couldn’t immediately be reached for more details Sunday afternoon.
The incident continues to be investigated by the Bethlehem Police Department; the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force; the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office; and Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
Bethlehem police said investigators at 10:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, responded to the home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue. A 911 call was made by an adult who had just dropped a child off at the house after a playdate, city police said.
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