Margaret Elizabeth Smith, 39, was found dead in her Frankfort, Kentucky home on the morning of July 3, 2018, with a fatal gunshot wound. She had an active emergency protective order against her 38-year-old ex-boyfriend, Derek Garten, and had contacted the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the county attorney the day before her death because she feared Garten after he made threatening social media posts about her and her son.

Law enforcement identified Garten as a person of interest and searched for him as armed and dangerous after discovering Smith’s body. His vehicle was found in western Franklin County, and a second man, 37-year-old Billy Turner, was arrested and charged with complicity to murder and complicity to tampering with physical evidence. The search ended at a Lexington motel where Garten surrendered after negotiations, reportedly discarding a gun from his room; he was held on a $500,000 bond. Court documents described prior abuse, including allegations that Garten choked Smith, hit her with a gun, and threatened to kill her and her family.

Does anyone have information about Smith’s final days or about contacts who might help clarify the timeline before July 3, 2018?