What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The Horseshoe Lake case connects two killings in September 1996 with the death of Martha McKay at Snowden House on March 25, 2020. Travis Lewis pleaded guilty to murdering Martha’s mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and Lee Baker in 1996. After Lewis was paroled in 2018, authorities identified him as the suspect seen fleeing the scene of Martha’s death. He entered the lake and died before the 2020 case could be adjudicated.
What happened in the Horseshoe Lake case?
On March 25, 2020, deputies responded to an alarm at Snowden House in Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas. They found Martha McKay, 63, dead inside the property. According to statements attributed to the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office and reported by ABC News, deputies saw a man leave the house, enter nearby water and fail to resurface. His body was later recovered, and authorities identified him as Travis Lewis.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Becoming Evil: Serial Killers - 7-Part Documentary Series | $7.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
America's Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Murder on a Sunday Morning | $9.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer | $10.40 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer | $27.62 | Buy on Amazon |
Lewis was the same man who had pleaded guilty to the 1996 murders of Martha’s mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and Lee Baker. The headline’s “23 years apart” description is rounded: the reported interval from September 1996 to March 25, 2020, was approximately 23 years and six months.
The 1996 murders and Lewis’s conviction
A&E’s retrospective reports that Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, burglary and theft after Sally Snowden McKay and Lee Baker were killed in September 1996. The account says he received concurrent sentences and became eligible for parole after roughly 20 years.
#1 Best Overall
A local description quoted by A&E, attributed to Horseshoe Grocery & Cafe owner Beth Baldwin in a November 1996 Commercial Appeal interview, said: “This boy is real polite.” That observation records how a neighbor described Lewis before the case was resolved; it does not establish innocence, guilt, remorse or anything about his later conduct.
How Lewis returned to the property
The consulted reporting says Lewis was paroled in 2018. It does not provide a complete account of his movements, relationship with Martha McKay, or why he was at Snowden House in 2020. Those details should not be inferred from the fact that the property was connected to the earlier killings.
Rank #2
- Factory sealed DVD
What authorities established about Martha McKay’s death
- Martha McKay, 63, was found dead at Snowden House on March 25, 2020.
- Deputies reported seeing a man flee, enter nearby water and disappear beneath the surface.
- The Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Travis Lewis, the person previously convicted in the 1996 killings.
- Lewis died at the scene after entering the lake, so the available reporting describes him as the 2020 suspect rather than a person convicted in Martha McKay’s death.
ABC News reported that both bodies were sent to the state medical examiner and that the investigation was ongoing at the time of its March 2020 report.
What remains unknown
The sources consulted here do not establish the final official cause and manner of death for Martha McKay or Lewis. They also do not document a later trial, conviction or final prosecutorial ruling concerning Martha’s death. The distinction matters: the 1996 murders ended with Lewis’s guilty pleas, while the 2020 account rests on the sheriff’s office statements about the scene and his identification as the suspect.
Rank #3
- Factory sealed DVD
Case timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 1996 | Sally Snowden McKay and Lee Baker were killed. |
| After the 1996 killings | Travis Lewis pleaded guilty to two first-degree murder counts, burglary and theft; A&E reports concurrent sentences and parole eligibility after roughly 20 years. |
| 2018 | Lewis was paroled, according to the consulted contemporary reporting and retrospective. |
| March 25, 2020 | Deputies found Martha McKay dead at Snowden House and reported that Lewis fled into the lake and died. |
Who killed Martha McKay and her mother?
For Sally Snowden McKay’s 1996 murder, the answer is established in the court outcome summarized by A&E: Travis Lewis pleaded guilty. For Martha McKay’s 2020 death, authorities identified Lewis as the suspect at the scene, but the available material does not show a completed criminal adjudication because he died that day. A final medical examiner determination was not verified in the reporting consulted for this article.
Further reading
Readers seeking a longer narrative can look for Jason Neal’s True Crime Case Histories, Volume 8, which includes a chapter on Travis Lewis and Horseshoe Lake. Its current retail availability is not established here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Were the 1996 and 2020 deaths 23 years apart exactly?
No. The reported dates—September 1996 and March 25, 2020—span about 23 years and six months, so “23 years apart” is rounded headline wording.
Was Travis Lewis convicted of killing Martha McKay?
The available reporting identifies Lewis as the suspect in Martha McKay’s death, but it does not document a later trial or conviction. Lewis died after entering the lake while deputies pursued him.
Best Value
What was the official cause of Martha McKay’s death?
The sources consulted do not provide final medical examiner findings. ABC News reported that her body was sent to the state medical examiner while the investigation was ongoing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
