A woman was shot and killed by her husband outside a pub on Valentine’s Day after trying to leave the relationship, an inquest has concluded. Lisa Smith, 43, was shot twice in the neck in the car park of The Three Horseshoes in Knockholt, Kent, after her estranged husband tracked her down and opened fire with an illegally-held handgun.
Area Coroner Katrina Hepburn ruled on Wednesday that Ms Smith died from unlawful killing, finding “requisite intent from Edward Smith to kill her or cause her really serious harm.” The court heard how Mr Smith fired four shots at his wife before sending voice notes confessing to the murder and then jumping to his death from the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.
Ms Smith, from Slough, had told her sister earlier on 14 February that she was leaving her husband and had boarded a train to Kent to stay with family. Her husband tracked her down at the rural pub that evening, blocking her friend’s car with his vehicle before opening fire at close range.
Fatal Confrontation in Pub Car Park
Detective Sergeant James Dolby told Kent and Medway Coroner’s Court that Ms Smith was picked up at Orpington station at approximately 2:40pm by her sister Samantha Graham and a group of friends. The group initially went to The Three Horseshoes pub before leaving and returning at around 6pm.
Just before 7pm, Ms Smith was sitting in the passenger seat of her friend Nancy’s Seat car in the pub car park when her husband arrived. He had been calling Ms Smith and her friends repeatedly whilst searching for her throughout the afternoon.
A “verbal altercation” erupted between Mr Smith and his wife’s sister Laura inside the pub, during which she called him a “narcissist”. He initially left the scene but returned moments later to carry out the fatal attack.
DS Dolby told the court: “At 18:59 Nancy reverses her Seat onto Harrow Road and stops to speak with Laura. Edward manoeuvres his vehicle to stop Nancy from exiting. Effectively Edward has blocked them in.”
Four Shots Fired at Close Range
The coroner detailed the horrifying sequence of events that followed. Mr Smith fired the first two shots from inside his own vehicle towards the Seat car containing his wife. Neither of these initial shots caused injury.
Ms Hepburn stated: “He pulled forward in the car and fired a second shot, he was seen to exit the vehicle with arms outstretched holding a handgun and firing a shot through the driver’s side car window.”
This third shot caused “fatal damage” to Ms Smith’s neck. Mr Smith then walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle and fired a fourth shot at his wife from close range.
“Four shots were fired, the first two from within his vehicle towards the Seat. There were no injuries consistent with the trajectory of those first two bullets,” the coroner confirmed.
Father Questions Why They Didn’t Drive Away
During Wednesday morning’s proceedings, Ms Smith’s father asked the detective why the occupants hadn’t driven away after the first two shots were fired. “You’d have started up and gone, wouldn’t you?” he asked the court.
DS Dolby explained that the attack “happened very quickly”, leaving no time for escape. The entire shooting sequence occurred within moments, with Mr Smith’s vehicle deliberately positioned to prevent any exit.
Despite immediate CPR performed by members of the public and emergency services, including an off-duty firefighter who was inside the pub, Ms Smith was pronounced dead at 7:42pm. The court heard she suffered two gunshot wounds to the neck and one to the chest.
Voice Notes Confession Before Suicide
Following the murder, Mr Smith sent voice notes to someone he referred to as “Nana”, confessing: “I’ve shot Lisa, she’s dead.” In one of the messages, he alluded to suicide and stated: “Hopefully I’m going to get into heaven with my wife.”
The court also heard that Mr Smith called his long-time friend Leslie Thompson less than two hours after the shooting. During the 8:50pm call, he reportedly said: “She’s dead, I love you. I’ll see you on the other side.”
Mr Thompson, who had known the couple for more than 30 years, believed his friend was having a breakdown. He told investigators that Mr Smith had said: “I can’t live, we’ve all gone together” whilst also stating that “armed police will probably shoot me.
Mental Health Struggles Revealed
A separate inquest into Mr Smith’s death, held the same afternoon by Deputy Coroner Alan Blunsdon, revealed he had been experiencing mental health difficulties. The court heard evidence from his GP at Burnham Health Centre, who confirmed Mr Smith had attended an appointment for mental health problems.
The 43-year-old told his doctor he had been sectioned approximately 10 years earlier and had previously experienced psychosis, though his mental health had been stable since. The GP noted that Mr Smith “had been arguing with his wife” and that Ms Smith had previously left him at Christmas as she was “unable to cope any more” but had returned to the relationship.
Mr Smith was prescribed medication and directed to seek further mental health support. In a follow-up appointment in January, he told his GP he was “feeling better”. He had no further contact with the surgery before the tragedy.
Body Found in River Thames
After shooting his wife, Mr Smith drove to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford, where his car was found abandoned just before midnight on Valentine’s Day. Police recovered the vehicle along with the illegal firearm used in the murder.
Officers received reports of a man on the wrong side of the bridge barrier, and Mr Smith was seen jumping from the bridge. His body was recovered from the River Thames on 7 March near Coldharbour Lane, Rainham, Essex, after being spotted by a member of the public using binoculars.
Deputy Coroner Alan Blunsdon concluded that Mr Smith died by suicide. The formal identification of his body brought an end to an extensive search operation that had involved marine units and helicopter searches along the Thames.
Traveller Community in Mourning
Both Mr and Mrs Smith were members of the travelling community, and the tragedy sent shockwaves through their tight-knit society. Floral tributes appeared outside The Three Horseshoes pub within days of the shooting, with messages of condolence for the grandmother.
Ms Smith’s son Teejay paid tribute to his mother, writing: “My dear old mum, never be another to walk in her shoes, the best.” Another tribute read: “Our love and prayers are with your family, especially your boys and your beautiful granddaughter.”
Martin Ward, an Irish Traveller campaigner, expressed his shock at the incident: “I was numb when I heard about it. This has gone through the whole community like thunder. Men and boys fighting is one thing but this is different. My heart goes out to the family.”
Pub Landlady Recalls Horror
Michelle Thomas, landlady of The Three Horseshoes, described the terrifying moments when the shooting occurred. She was preparing for the Valentine’s Day dinner service when she heard what she initially thought were fireworks just after 7pm.
“There was so much commotion – screaming, shouting, crying,” she recalled. “People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening.” Ms Thomas confirmed that around 50 customers were in the pub at the time of the shooting.
She praised the actions of an “amazing” off-duty firefighter who immediately rushed outside to provide first aid. The pub was cordoned off for several days as forensic teams conducted their investigation.
Coroner’s Verdict
Setting out her conclusion, Coroner Katrina Hepburn 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.”
She emphasised the premeditated nature of the attack: “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 coroner found there was clear evidence of Mr Smith’s determination to track down his wife after she fled the relationship, and his deliberate actions to prevent her escape before opening fire.
Investigation Continues
Detective Chief Inspector David Higham, who led the investigation, stated: “This murder has led to the senseless loss of a beloved daughter and mother and our thoughts remain with Lisa’s family.”
Police confirmed they are continuing to investigate the source of the illegal handgun used in the murder. The weapon was recovered alongside Mr Smith’s abandoned vehicle on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge on the night of the shooting.
The case has highlighted concerns about domestic violence and the dangers faced by those attempting to leave abusive relationships. Women’s safety campaigners have pointed to the tragedy as evidence of the extreme risks some face when trying to escape controlling partners.
The inquests into both deaths have now concluded, with the coroner’s verdicts bringing formal closure to the legal proceedings surrounding this Valentine’s Day tragedy that claimed two lives and devastated multiple families.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
