The deceased woman's daughter Kristy, who was also killed, was a single mother herself and "had a heart of gold," according to the fundraiser.
Trigger Warning: The following content contains mentions of intimate partner violence, murder, suicide, and gun violence, which may be distressing to some readers.
A beloved Kansas mother and her daughter died following an alleged murder-suicide by the former's ex-husband in her home, according to investigators.
Kristy C. Thow, 29, of Shawnee, and her mother Penny Smith, 50, both passed away at the hospital after the "domestic shooting" that occurred at Smith's home in Kansas City just before 11 p.m. on May 18, according to numerous press releases issued by the Kansas City Police Department.
Kristy Thow of Kansas City, Kansas, “was shot multiple times protecting the life of her sister and her mom, Penny Smith, who has now died. Access to a gun makes it 5x more likely that a woman will die at the hands of an abuser.
— jessica deweerth (@jessdwee) May 22, 2023
We don’t have to live like this. #KSLeg @MomsDemand https://t.co/xNrEX6O6o2 pic.twitter.com/vvUlJ6cXiB
Christopher Smith, 51, the ex-husband of Penny Smith, was also discovered dead from what seemed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities, per PEOPLE.
To support the other surviving members of the family as well as to contribute to the education fund for Thow's surviving daughter, a GoFundMe page has been established. “Kristy was a single mom, raising Camilla and helping raise her sister's children,” reads the fundraiser, which was created in an effort to support the family by Kristy’s aunt. “She had a heart of gold and lived life to the fullest! She will be missed.” Meanwhile, Smith is survived by two more daughters and three grandsons, the fundraiser stated.
The appeal continues by saying that Kristy was “shot multiple times protecting the life of her sister and her mom, my sister, from a crazed domestic abuser.” It added, “My heart is broken knowing [Camilla] will never have her mom to guide her, provide for her or hold her ever again.”
A third victim, who was not named by the police, received medical attention at a nearby hospital and was later released. Later, the third victim of the incident, Yuna Thow, took to Facebook to express that she is okay. “A lot of people have figured out that I was in the tragedy that happened on May 18th. I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m okay and that I’m recovering. I don’t have much to say at the moment so I only ask that you please be patient with me as I’m both recovering and grieving intensively. Thanks for all the warm love and care the past few days.”
The KCKPD is still looking into the tragedy. According to the release by the police, Kristy died shortly after the shooting, but Penny was in the hospital for two long days before succumbing to her injuries and passing away on May 22. The suspect of the shooting, Penny's abusive ex-partner, apparently passed on the scene. “The suspect, Christopher Smith, a resident of the home and husband of victim Penny Smith, was pronounced deceased on the scene from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the release notes.
Give to support Kristy’s Daughter here: https://t.co/2AisHYKpP7
— jessica deweerth (@jessdwee) May 22, 2023
References:
https://people.com/kansas-woman-daughter-killed-murder-suicide-moms-husband-7503283
https://www.gofundme.com/f/camilla-macamolli-college-fund
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
