On Valentine’s Day 2025, what should have been a day of love and new beginnings ended in tragedy in the quiet village of Knockholt, Kent. Lisa Smith, a 43-year-old grandmother from Slough, was shot and killed by her husband, Edward Smith, in the car park of The Three Horseshoes pub, just hours after she had made the decision to leave their marriage. The events that unfolded not only shocked the local community but also cast a harsh light on the dangers faced by those trying to escape abusive relationships.
According to multiple reports, including detailed accounts from The Independent and the Kent Messenger, Lisa Smith had confided in her sister, Samantha Graham, earlier that day about her decision to leave Edward Smith. She boarded a train from Slough to Kent, seeking refuge with family. Arriving at Orpington station at around 2:40 p.m., Lisa was met by her sister and a group of close friends. Together, they drove to The Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, a place they hoped would offer some sense of safety and normalcy as Lisa began her new chapter.
But Edward Smith, also known as Edvard Stockings, was relentless. He had been repeatedly calling Lisa’s friends, desperately trying to locate her. Detective Sergeant James Dolby told the inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone that the group even tried to keep out of sight, fearing Edward might be nearby. Their fears proved all too real. Just before 7 p.m., Edward arrived at the pub, shouting for Lisa. A verbal altercation erupted inside between Edward and Lisa’s sister Laura, who called him a “narcissist,” a confrontation captured on CCTV. Edward left the pub, but the sense of danger lingered.
Lisa, accompanied by two friends, tried to make a quiet escape through the back door of the pub, heading to one of their cars parked outside. They began to reverse toward the exit, perhaps hoping to slip away unnoticed. But Edward was waiting. He reversed his own vehicle up the road and blocked their car from leaving the car park. What happened next unfolded in less than a minute, but its impact will be felt for years.
Witnesses heard a loud bang at 7 p.m.—the first of four gunshots fired in rapid succession. The first two shots, fired from inside Edward’s vehicle, did not cause any injuries consistent with their trajectory, according to Area Coroner Katrina Hepburn. Then, Edward exited his car, arms outstretched, and fired a third shot through the driver’s side window. This shot struck Lisa in the neck, inflicting a fatal wound. He then moved to the passenger side and fired a fourth shot at close range. Lisa, seated in the passenger seat, had no chance to defend herself or escape.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene. An off-duty fireman who was at the pub that evening ran to Lisa’s aid, pulling her from the car and beginning CPR. Paramedics and police arrived moments later, but despite their best efforts, Lisa Smith was declared dead at 7:42 p.m. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck, as confirmed by the post-mortem examination.
The aftermath of the shooting was as chilling as the act itself. Edward Smith fled the scene, driving toward Coxheath where, in a moment of apparent desperation, he entered a takeaway and demanded a knife. He then sent a series of voice notes to someone he called “Nana,” as well as a colleague, admitting to the shooting and expressing his despair. In one message, he said, “We have a little bit of a tragedy today. I have just shot my wife, Lisa. If you could pray for my family, as things are not looking good.” In another, he confessed, “All my family is trying to call me. I have shot Lisa; she is dead. Probably the police are going to shoot me, so I am going to go. I will see you on the other side. Pray for me, and hopefully I will get into heaven with my wife.”
Edward’s final actions were just as tragic. He drove to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford, where witnesses later reported seeing a man in a light-colored tracksuit standing on the wrong side of the safety barrier. He was seen falling into the River Thames below. Police recovered his vehicle, a firearm, and ammunition at the bridge. Edward’s body was discovered in the river weeks later, on March 7, 2025, with the cause of death listed as massive head trauma. An inquest concluded his death was suicide.
During the inquest into Edward’s death, it was revealed that he had a history of mental health issues, including psychosis, and had been sectioned about a decade prior. His general practitioner at Burnham Health Centre testified that Edward had attended appointments for mental health concerns and had been given medication and advised to seek further help. Despite these interventions, his mental state in the weeks leading up to the tragedy seemed to have stabilized, at least outwardly. But beneath the surface, tensions in the marriage simmered. Lisa had left Edward at Christmas, unable to cope, but had returned before finally leaving again on February 14.
Area Coroner Katrina Hepburn, delivering her conclusion, stated, “I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that a short form conclusion of unlawful killing would be safe and appropriate to set out in this manner. There was intent to find Lisa Smith after she had left her home address and once she was found the car she was seated in was blocked preventing any exit.” The court heard that Lisa was “fleeing her relationship” and that Edward’s actions were deliberate and premeditated, with the intent to cause serious harm or death.
In the wake of Lisa’s death, tributes poured in from family and friends. Her son Teejay remembered her as “the best,” saying, “My dear old mum, never be another to walk in her shoes.” Another tribute read, “Our love and prayers are with your family, especially your boys and your beautiful granddaughter.”
The community response has also highlighted the urgent need for support for those experiencing domestic abuse and mental health crises. Resources such as the Samaritans in the UK (116 123), the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US, and international helplines via befrienders.org are available for anyone in distress.
Lisa Smith’s story is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by individuals seeking to escape abusive situations and the devastating consequences when help arrives too late. Her family’s grief and the community’s shock underscore the importance of vigilance, support, and intervention in the lives of those at risk.
