Love Me or Else: The True Story of a Devoted Pastor, a Fatal Jealousy, and the Murder that Rocked a Small Town

· Macmillan
12 reviews
Ebook
289
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

The true story of Mary Jane Fonder, the oldest woman ever convicted of murder in Bucks County, PA—and how an infatuation with her pastor led her there.

On the outside, Mary Jane Fonder seemed like a kindly sixty-six-year-old congregant of the Lutheran church in Springfield Township, PA. But inside, she longed for the church's handsome Pastor Gregory Shreaves, a former golf pro who sparked her most sinful thoughts.

When Mary Jane let her feelings be known, the Pastor gently pushed her away. But her obsession only grew stronger when she became convinced that he was romantically involved with a younger church member, a woman named Rhonda Smith.

Rhonda was doing volunteer work in the church office one day when she was shot to death in cold blood. The trail of evidence led police to Mary Jane, and soon other suspicions were raised: Was she also involved in the mysterious death of her own father fifteen years earlier? This is the shocking true story of love, worship, and murder in one American small town.

The true story of Mary Jane Fonder, the oldest woman ever convicted of murder in Bucks County, PA—and how an infatuation with her pastor led her there. On the outside, Mary Jane Fonder seemed like a kindly sixty-six-year-old congregant of the Lutheran church in Springfield Township, PA. But insi...

Discover more

Ratings and reviews

12 reviews
Christi Gibson
April 15, 2026
I have read many true crime books, but, this one is definitely the most unusual case to date. Evil comes in all shapes and sizes, but, Mary Jane Fonder is by far the craziest that I have ever heard of. Her delusions fed by excessive insecurity, jealousy, & a vengeful nature, only brought great despair on too many within her community. Appreciate the pictures, as well. It is always appreciated by a reader to put a name to a face. Interesting read.
Did you find this helpful?
Bebe Lopez
March 28, 2026
Great read! I had seen this on the ID channel but it's good to know the whole story.
Did you find this helpful?
Renee Schiavon
March 14, 2020
Very interesting reading!
Did you find this helpful?

About the author

Colin McEvoy and Lynn Olanoff are reporters for The Express-Times, a daily newspaper based in Easton, Pennsylvania. They covered the Rhonda Smith murder case extensively and it was during a jailhouse interview with them that Mary Jane Fonder first acknowledged responsibility for her crime. Colin and Lynn have been married since 2008. Lynn is a graduate of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, and Colin graduated from East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. They currently reside in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Colin McEvoy and Lynn Olanoff are reporters for The Express-Times, a daily newspaper based in Easton, Pennsylvania. They covered the Rhonda Smith murder case extensively and it was during a jailhouse interview with them that Mary Jane Fonder first acknowledged responsibility for her crime. Colin ...

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.