Deathbed confession

Constance Smootz Hevener, age 19, and her sister-in-law, Carolyn Hevener Perry, age 20, were shot and killed in the Staunton, Virginia, ice cream shop where they worked in 1967. The crime remained unsolved for 41 years until Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, a coworker at that shop, confessed to the double-murder two months ago. The revelation tied up some loose ends, but had its complications. Smith, age 60, still lived in Staunton--in a hospice. She was arrested, but police did not take her into custody, and she died of kidney and heart disease two days later. It's hard to imagine living with her guilt for a lifetime. The deathbed confession offered closure to the victims' families, but pulled the rug out from under Smith's family. Her daughter posted the following comment to the news article:

"...I am the 34 year old daughter of Sharron C Smith...I love my Mother and have never saw this side of her. I plan on standing beside her until we bury her...I wish I had answers to all the quwstions that everyone has...I want to say I know what my mom is accused of is horrific...I was at the press conference and I it was important for [m]e to be there...I thought if people...would see that she Sharron C Smith the person that I call mom did something right ...But all these facts DO NOT TAKE AWAY THE GUILT I AM CARRY FOR MY MOTHERS ACTIONS...I think there are so many people hurting right now cuz of this new development ( I will Call It) !.. I will try to put the puzzle together..." So the guilt lingers in the next generation. Strange and sad.