Susan Smith was delighted when she saw Charles Gibson at Exodus Homes Missionary Outreach Church on March 16.  It was the first time he’d been to the church since he left his ministry position a year ago.

“It was so good to see him,” Smith, assistant director of Exodus Homes, said.

Five days later, she received a call from police that they needed her to come and identify Charles Gibson’s body.

Gibson had come to Exodus Homes in 2001 after he was released from prison on robbery charges.  Smith worked with him at Exodus Homes, a faith-based program designed to help former prisoners adjust to life outside of prison again.  How police knew he’d been at Exodus homes, she didn’t know.

Gibson’s body was discovered on Friday laying face down behind KFC in Hildebran off U.S. 70.  He was shot twice — once in the shoulder and once in the head.

After he graduated from the program in 2004, Smith said he seemed to be doing well and he even had his own cleaning business. Smith said he was a smart man and even had a college degree.  Gibson also continued to volunteer at Exodus Homes helping other residents find jobs and providing transportation.  She said he was also actively involved in the prison ministry with Exodus Homes founder and executive director, Rev. Reggie Longcrier.  Smith said Gibson would help with the programs Longcrier held at Catawba County Correctional Center, like one designed to help inmates learn how to become better parents.  Smith said the prison ministry was one of Gibson’s main areas of focus.

Then a year ago, Smith said Gibson left all together and they had no contact with him for a year, up until he showed up at the church a couple weeks ago.

After people leave Exodus Homes, Smith said it’s up to the individual to determine whether or not they want to keep in contact.  With more than 90 residents living at 10 different Exodus Home sites throughout Hickory, Smith said they simply don’t have time to keep track of them all.

“Our focus is on the people who are here now,” Smith said.

Most residents stay 12-18 months before graduating from the program, she said, meaning they are ready to return to life on their own.  After that they get so busy with their own lives, she said it’s understandable why they don’t keep in touch.  She said it’s not a bad thing if they don’t hear from them, they’re probably just busy with their own lives.

“Of course we’re very sad,” Smith said.  “It’s a tragedy for him, it’s a tragedy for his family and the people involved with this, because their lives are ruined.”

She said the media attention has made it even more difficult because it’s rattled some of the residents at Exodus Homes as they have tried to understand what’s going on.

“It’s hard enough when you lose one, someone whose been a part of your organization and church family,” she said.  “This is a really hard time for (everyone at Exodus Homes.)”