Ex-husband of murder-suicide victim remembers her

CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Winchester Police say Tyler Snowden broke into the home of Ava Brantley Friday and shot and killed her before turning the gun on himself.

Officers say Brantley filed a domestic violence order against Snowden that went into effect just a day prior to her death.

Now those who knew Brantley are reflecting on her life and sharing how they hope her story can place a larger focus on domestic violence.

“She’d be mad at me if she knew I was upset, because she always said, ‘if something happens, make sure you’re dancing and laughing,’ because that’s what she loves,” said Jon Wooton, who was married to Brantley for 13 years.

Ex-husband remembers victim’s love of life

Brantley and Wooton remained friends after their divorce as they co-parented the two children they shared.

“She was just a great person. Everybody loved her. She loved everybody. She wanted to help everybody. She loved kids, she just loved life,” Wooton said.

Wooton says Brantley would confide in him about her relationship with Snowden.

He says he never imagined the things she shared would ultimately lead to the end of her life.

“The first thing that went through my mind was, how do I tell my kids this? I mean its one thing if you have a sickly parent and you can prepare yourself, but something like this, there’s no preparation for it,” Wooton said.

Calls for stronger domestic violence response

Wooton says he hopes Ava’s story can create a bigger conversation surrounding domestic violence and that people, including law enforcement, will take it more seriously.

“But who was there to stop him? Nobody, but that paper. Its a piece of paper, what’s it gonna do? If anybody knows anybody in that kind of situation, do something about it. That’s something I wish I did,” Wooton said.

Wooton says through this grief, he still plans to live life to the fullest, just as Ava did.

“I might plan a few trips just because she said she wanted to go there, I don’t know. We’ll see when it comes,” Wooton said.

To help with Brantley’s funeral costs, the online business Camden’s Designs and Creations is selling tee shirts with 100 percent of the profits going to her family.

You can order a shirt through Camden’s Designs and Creations’ Facebook group.

You can also donate directly to the family’s GoFundMe page here.