The Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed a double-generational tragedy following the death of 63-year-old Martha McKay.
In a shocking turn of events, McKay was found murdered at her historic family home, the Snowden House, by the same man who had been convicted of killing her mother 24 years prior.
The history of violence at the Horseshoe Lake property dates back to 1996, when McKay’s mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and her cousin, musician Lee Baker, were killed on the estate. Travis Lewis, who was 17 at the time, was sentenced to prison for the crimes. Despite the gravity of the offenses, Martha McKay chose a path of reconciliation, visiting Lewis behind bars and eventually advocating for his early release, which was granted in 2018.
Upon his return to society, McKay quietly employed Lewis at the Snowden House, which she had renovated into a luxury bed-and-breakfast and event venue. While friends reportedly cautioned her against the association, McKay allowed Lewis to work on the grounds for approximately 18 months. The relationship reportedly soured after $10,000 in cash went missing from the home, an incident in which McKay suspected Lewis was involved.
On March 25, 2020, authorities responded to an alarm at the mansion where they discovered McKay’s body at the top of a staircase. Investigators determined she had been stabbed and bludgeoned. A bag containing various valuables and a bloody kitchen knife were found near the scene, suggesting a robbery was in progress.
“It was determined that he intended to steal these items,” said Crittenden County Chief Investigator Todd Grooms. “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.”
As deputies arrived at the scene, they witnessed a suspect leaping from an upstairs window. The suspect attempted to flee in a vehicle but became stuck in the yard, eventually jumping into Horseshoe Lake where he was observed going underwater. Divers later recovered the body of 39-year-old Travis Lewis. A toxicology report later confirmed that Lewis had multiple drugs in his system at the time of the attack.
Family members expressed total shock at the loss of Martha, who they described as someone who loved her life and lived it to the fullest. The Snowden House remains a site of immense local history, though it is now overshadowed by two generations of tragedy involving the same perpetrator.
Never give them a second chance.