In early March 2022, the life of 30-year-old Christina Virginia Smith was tragically cut short in her Winder, Georgia, home. Concerns arose after Christina, who worked at a local hotel, failed to show up for her shift and her family was unable to reach her. The last communication her mother, Willie Smith, had with her was a text message shortly after midnight on Thursday, March 3rd, wishing her a happy 30th birthday, to which Christina replied, 'I love you, mommy.'
After two days without
contact, the Winder Police Department was asked to conduct a welfare check at her residence on Bush Chapel Drive on Saturday, March 5th. Upon entering the home, officers made a grim discovery. They found the bodies of Christina and her 29-year-old fiancé, Marcus Gardner. Both had been shot to death. Investigators also noted that a vehicle belonging to one of the victims, a light green Ford Escape, was missing from the residence.
The investigation, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, quickly focused on a man who had been living with the couple. The family reported that Christina and Marcus had taken in a temporary roommate in January, a friend Marcus had grown up with, to help him get back on his feet. This individual was identified as 25-year-old Martell Scott.
Authorities tracked the stolen Ford Escape to Missouri. On March 18, 2022, Martell Scott was arrested in Kansas City in connection with the double homicide. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, two counts of felony murder, and one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime. After his arrest, Scott was transported back to Georgia and taken into custody at the Barrow County Detention Center.
