Woman Dies at Same Estate Where Her Mother Was Killed
Travis Lewis. Photo courtesy of Crittenden County Sheriff's Office.
When tragedy strikes once, it leaves a scar. But when it strikes twice — at the same place, to the same family, decades apart — the wound cuts deeper than most can imagine. That's exactly what happened at a picturesque lakeside estate in Arkansas, where a family's cherished home became the backdrop for two brutal murders, separated by 23 years but linked by a chilling common thread.
A Family Home Shadowed by Violence
The story begins in 1996, at the Snowden House on Horseshoe Lake in Hughes, Arkansas. It was a place of beauty and history, an antebellum-style home that had been in the family for years. But on a fateful September day, the house became a crime scene when 75-year-old Sally Snowden McKay and her cousin, 52-year-old Memphis blues guitarist Joseph "Lee" Baker, were found murdered on the property. The man convicted of this horrific act was Travis Lewis, then just 16 years old. Despite his guilty plea, Lewis maintained his innocence, insisting another man was responsible.
The murders devastated the McKay family, especially Sally's daughter, Martha McKay. Yet, in a twist that defies easy explanation, Martha eventually befriended Lewis during his incarceration. She believed in his innocence and felt a spiritual obligation to support him, even advocating for his early release. This unusual relationship was met with concern by friends and family, who warned Martha against trusting the man convicted of killing her mother and cousin.
A New Chapter Opens — and Closes in Tragedy
After years away, Martha returned to the family estate in 2005, restoring the Snowden House and transforming it into a luxury bed-and-breakfast and wedding venue. The home, once a site of unspeakable loss, became a place of celebration and community. Martha lived life to the fullest, hosting gatherings under the cypress trees and welcoming guests to the historic property.
In 2018, Travis Lewis was released on parole. Martha, continuing her belief in his rehabilitation, hired him to perform work on the property. But the fragile peace shattered in 2020. A dispute arose over $10,000 in missing cash from the sale of a chandelier at the Snowden House. The disagreement escalated, and on March 25, 2020, Martha McKay was found stabbed and bludgeoned to death at the top of the stairs in her beloved home.
The Killer's Final Act
When police arrived at the scene, the suspect — Travis Lewis — fled dramatically. He jumped from a second-story window, ran across the lawn, and plunged into the lake bordering the property. Tragically, he drowned before officers could apprehend him. The discovery of his body in the water confirmed the grim reality: the same man who had taken the lives of Martha's mother and cousin 23 years earlier had now killed Martha herself.
The sheriff of Crittenden County, Mike Allen, described the incident as a haunting echo of the past, noting that both murders occurred on the same property. The investigation into the 2020 killing remained ongoing, but the facts were clear — a family's nightmare had come full circle.
Layers of Grief and Betrayal
This story is not just about crime; it's about the complex human emotions that intertwine with tragedy. Martha's decision to befriend Lewis, despite his conviction, speaks to a profound and perhaps misguided sense of forgiveness and compassion. She reportedly felt sympathy for Lewis as a teenager and believed his claims of innocence, a belief that ultimately cost her life.
Friends and family were left in disbelief, struggling to reconcile Martha's kindness with the brutal outcome. Her sister, Katie Hutton, expressed shock and sorrow, telling PEOPLE at the time, "We are all just in disbelief," emphasizing the family's ongoing struggle to process the devastating loss that spanned generations.
A Haunting Legacy
The Snowden House, once a symbol of family heritage and community, now stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of trust and the shadows that can linger in even the most cherished places. The dual tragedies that unfolded there reveal how past wounds can resurface in the most unexpected and heartbreaking ways.
For those who follow true crime, this case offers a sobering lesson on the complexities of human relationships, the limits of forgiveness, and the unpredictable nature of fate. It challenges you to consider how grief and hope can coexist — sometimes with devastating consequences.
As the investigation continues, the McKay family's story remains a poignant example of how history can repeat itself in the most tragic fashion, leaving a community to grapple with loss, betrayal, and the haunting question of what might have been.
If you find yourself reflecting on this story, remember that behind every headline is a family forever changed, a home forever marked, and a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.
References: A B&B Owner Was Found Murdered at Her Lakefront Property - By the Same Man Who Murdered Her Mother 23 Years Earlier | Martha McKay and Travis Lewis Found Dead: Sheriff | Arkansas woman murdered by same person who murdered her mother 23 years ago: Police
