Murder Case: Who is this Man and Why is He Trending All Over Social Media Again
- An Arkansas woman was found murdered at the historic Snowden House, allegedly by the same man who killed her mother and cousin on the same property nearly 24 years ago
- Authorities identified the suspect as Travis Santay Lewis, who had previously served time for the 1996 double homicide at Horseshoe Lake
- The shocking incident has reignited questions about justice, parole, and the haunting legacy of violent crime
An Arkansas woman was found murdered on Wednesday at the historic Snowden family home in Horseshoe Lake, allegedly by the same man who killed her mother and cousin nearly 24 years earlier, according to authorities.
Martha McKay, 63, a member of the prominent Snowden family, was discovered dead inside the colonial-style residence in Crittenden County, Arkansas. The property, known locally as the Snowden House, had been converted by McKay into a luxury bed-and-breakfast and wedding venue following the murder of her mother in 1996.
Source: Twitter
Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen confirmed that deputies responded to a security alarm at the residence on Wednesday. Upon arrival, officers found the back door ajar and began searching the premises. During the sweep, a man was seen leaping from an upstairs window.
The suspect, later identified as 39-year-old Travis Santay Lewis, attempted to flee in a nearby vehicle, but the car became stuck in the yard. Lewis then fled on foot and entered the lake.
“He was observed going under the water and never came back up,” Sheriff Allen said in a news release. “The Arkansas Game and Fish and Crittenden County Search and Rescue were called, and Game and Fish used their sonar equipment and Search and Rescue was able to locate and recover the body of the suspect.”
Both McKay and Lewis’s bodies were sent to the Arkansas Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause and manner of death.
Suspect Previously Convicted of 1996 Horseshoe Lake Murders
Sheriff Allen stated that Lewis had pleaded guilty in 1996 to the murders of McKay’s mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and her cousin, Joseph Lee Baker, a well-known Memphis blues and rock guitarist. At the time, Lewis was just 16 years old.
Authorities believed the 1996 killings occurred during a botched robbery, in which Sally and Joseph startled Lewis, prompting him to shoot them before setting the house on fire. Lewis was sentenced to 28½ years in prison and was required to serve at least 70 percent of the sentence. He was paroled in 2018 after serving 23 years.
Following her mother’s death, Martha McKay relocated from San Francisco to Horseshoe Lake and undertook the restoration of the Snowden House.
“I met her a few times and she was a nice, interesting lady. She really restored that place back to its original beauty,” Sheriff Allen said. “It’s such a tragedy, and, well, mind-boggling that a 16-year-old would commit these murders and then you know, allegedly come back and do something so horrible again.”
See an X post on the murder case that recently went viral:
Ongoing Investigation into Arkansas Murder Case
Sheriff Allen revealed that McKay had maintained contact with Lewis during his incarceration and after his release. “I think it was her mission to find out what happened to her mother, and to find out if someone else was involved,” he said.
Source: Getty Images
Court sentences man to death for killing stepmother, sister
Legit.ng earlier reported that a 22-year-old Sagiru Rijiyar-Zaki has been sentenced to death by hanging for killing his stepmother and sister at Rijiyar Zaki Quarters in Kutama village, Gwarzo local government area of Kano state.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu of the Kano High Court found Sagiru guilty of unlawful killing.
Source: Legit.ng
