BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)–An Alabama Baptist pastor’s wife missing since March has turned up working at a fast food restaurant in New York state, according to Bossier City, La., police.
Mary Byrne “Beth” Smith, whose husband, Jason, is pastor of First Baptist Church in Summerdale, Ala., disappeared four months ago from a Beth Moore conference in the Louisiana city.
Authorities learned recently that Smith pawned her wedding ring at a shop near the convention center and paid $169 for a one-way Greyhound ticket to New York City, according to The (Mobile) Press-Register.
Once found, Smith expressed remorse to detectives and said she “might” contact her husband and two children, a 10-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl. But she also asked that her exact location not be revealed, The Press-Register said.
Smith faces no charges, said Bossier City Police Chief Mike Halphen.
In the time since Smith’s disappearance, her family, friends and fellow church members have been praying and pleading for her safe return, hoping she hadn’t fallen victim to foul play. They recently held a balloon release as a vigil and have stood beside the pastor in his grief. He didn’t return to the pulpit for weeks, according to The Press-Register.
Meanwhile Smith — who authorities say had developed an addiction to painkillers — had started a new life a thousand miles away from her Alabama home.
Mindi Reaves, ministry assistant at First Baptist, Summerdale, said the pastor had not spoken with his wife as of July 30.
“With the new news … he’s got a lot of questions. He’s hurt right now,” she said, according to the Press-Register. “I’m relieved she’s OK and nothing happened. And I pray that she knows she can come home.”
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Compiled by Grace Thornton of the Alabama Baptist newspaper.
