Rhonda M. Zeleneski LeRocque, a 42-year-old female, was a resident of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, where she lived with her husband of over 20 years, Jason, and their young daughter. She was known by friends and family as a beautiful and loving mother and wife, a devout Jehovah's Witness, and the person who often hosted family gatherings. Her family considered her to be as close to perfection as one could get.
She and her husband were avid country music fans and had traveled to Las Vegas for an anniversary trip, specifically to attend the Route 91 Harvest Festival.
On the evening of October 1, 2017, Rhonda was enjoying the concert with her husband, their six-year-old daughter, and her father-in-law. Shortly before the shooting began, her father-in-law had taken their daughter back to the hotel. As country singer Jason Aldean performed, a gunman opened fire on the crowd of approximately 22,000 people from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Amid the chaos, Rhonda was struck by gunfire. Her husband, who was next to her, initially thought she had ducked for cover. She was rushed to a local hospital in a stranger's pickup truck but ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
The perpetrator of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history was identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada. Investigators found that Paddock had meticulously planned the attack, amassing a large arsenal of weapons in his hotel suite. After firing into the festival crowd for over ten minutes, he took his own life before law enforcement could apprehend him. Despite extensive investigations by local and federal authorities, a clear motive for Paddock's violent actions has never been determined. He acted alone, and no other suspects were identified or arrested in connection with the massacre. His brother was arrested on unrelated charges weeks after the shooting.
