A woman, Martha, who had forgiven the killer of her mother and cousin and had given him a job, was tragically murdered by the same man. The incident took place at a beautiful estate on Horseshoe Lake in Arkansas in 1996. Martha’s mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and her cousin, Joseph “Lee” Baker, were the victims of the heinous crime.
Despite the killer, Travis Lewis, pleading guilty but never confessing, Martha chose to befriend him during his time in prison. She later supported his release in 2018 and even employed him at the renovated mansion, now operating as a luxury bed and breakfast and wedding venue called Snowden House.
Martha’s decision to trust Lewis eventually led to her own demise. Suspicion arose when $10,000 went missing from the house, a theft Martha believed Lewis might have been involved in. Tragically, Martha was found brutally murdered at the house in March 2020 at the age of 63.
Following the murder, the killer attempted to escape but drowned in the lake nearby. It was later revealed that the deceased was Lewis, who had committed another murder 23 years later within the same family. A toxicology report indicated the presence of multiple drugs in his system.
Family and friends expressed shock and disbelief at Martha’s untimely death. Katie Hutton, Martha’s sister, described her as someone who lived life to the fullest and loved every moment. The tragic events surrounding Martha’s forgiveness and subsequent murder left the community in sorrow and disbelief.