In a heartbreaking story of compassion turned to tragedy, a woman who forgave the man convicted of murdering her mother and even offered him employment was later killed by the same individual. Martha McKay's extraordinary act of mercy ultimately led to her own violent death, shocking her community and family.
A Grisly Double Murder and an Unlikely Connection
In 1996, Sally Snowden McKay, 75, and her cousin, Memphis blues guitarist Joseph "Lee" Baker, 52, were brutally murdered on their picturesque Horseshoe Lake estate in Arkansas. The convicted killer, Travis Lewis, was just 17 years old at the time. Despite the horrific nature of the crime, Martha McKay, Sally's daughter, chose a path of remarkable forgiveness.
While Lewis served his prison sentence, Martha reached out to him, displaying profound compassion and understanding. Lewis had entered a guilty plea for the murders but never admitted to the killings, instead pointing the finger at another individual, according to reports from People magazine.
Transforming Tragedy into a New Beginning
After coming to terms with her profound loss, Martha transformed the property where her mother was killed. She renovated and reimagined the grand mansion into an upmarket bed and breakfast and wedding destination, rebranding it as Snowden House. This venture represented her attempt to create beauty from tragedy.
Martha's forgiveness extended to practical support. She advocated for Lewis' early release from custody in 2018, and upon his release, discreetly provided him with work at the Snowden House venue. Lewis maintained his innocence, according to Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen, insisting he wasn't to blame for the original murders.
Warning Signs and Growing Distrust
A close friend of Martha's, Frank Byrd, recalled warning her against the friendship with Lewis. "She didn't answer me," Byrd explained when asked about his concerns regarding the relationship. Lewis had been employed on the estate for approximately 18 months before Martha's trust was first shaken.
The initial breach occurred when £10,000 – proceeds from a chandelier sale kept in the home – went missing. Martha was aware that Lewis had visited the property on that particular day, raising serious questions about his integrity and intentions.
A Fatal Betrayal
Devastatingly, Martha's body was discovered at the top of the staircase on March 25, 2020. The 63-year-old had suffered fatal stab wounds and blunt force trauma. Officers recovered a cloth bag near Martha's body containing various valuables alongside a bloodstained kitchen knife.
Crittenden County Chief Investigator Todd Grooms provided insight into the crime scene. "It was determined that he intended to steal these items. However, it was not determined whether his intentions were to burglarize McKay's home and she was killed in the process or if his intention was to murder McKay then opted to steal the items."
The Killer's Final Flight and Death
A police search revealed that Martha's killer had leapt from a second-floor window upon officers' arrival. He fled across the expansive lawn towards the lake, where he ultimately drowned. Authorities detailed the sequence of events in a statement on the sheriff's office Facebook page.
"A possible suspect who jumped from an upstairs window and ran to a vehicle that he drove across the yard and got stuck in the yard at the Snowden house, the suspect then jumped from the car and ran and jumped into the lake," the statement explained. "He was observed going under the water and never came back up."
The body recovered from the water was identified as Travis Lewis'. Toxicology results revealed multiple substances in his bloodstream at the time of his death. In a tragic full circle, Lewis had now murdered another woman from the same family 23 years after the original killings.
A Family's Grief and Disbelief
Martha's sister, Katie Hutton, shared her family's devastation with People magazine. "She lived life to the fullest," Hutton said of her sister. "She loved her life." The family struggled to comprehend how Martha's extraordinary compassion could lead to such a violent end.
"We are all just in disbelief," Martha's sibling added, capturing the profound shock that followed this tragic sequence of events. The story serves as a sobering reminder of the complex interplay between forgiveness, trust, and human nature in the aftermath of violent crime.
