MARSHALL COUNTY, OK -- She was an athlete, played guitar and stood out on stage. But Ashleigh Lindsey's life was cut short in July 2012 when police say her ex-boyfriend, Joshua Mahaffey, shot and killed her inside her Kingston home.
Ashleigh's mother, Tara Woodlee, says Ashleigh met Mahaffey in November 2011.
"She was actually quite excited and he was calling quite a bit," Woodlee said.
A month after meeting, the two moved in together. By March, Woodlee says she began seeing signs that her daughter was in an abusive relationship.
"She called me locked in a bathroom, crying, saying that Josh had burned her in the face with a cigarette," Woodlee recalled.
Woodlee says it was the first of many incidents, but says, after most fights, her daughter would downplay them.
"She's calling back saying mom there's no problem. It was a misunderstanding."
Eventually, Woodlee says her daughter was convinced to leave Mahaffey. She moved out, filed for a restraining order and sought help at the Crisis Control Center in Durant.
"Ashleigh was doing everything that I could've asked her or recommended for her to do," Anna Marcy said. Marcy was Ashleighs' counselor at the center.
But the day before Ashleigh was set to check into a women's shelter, Woodlee says Mahaffey used the revolver his roommate posted a picture of on Facebook to shoot and kill her before turning the gun on himself.
"I called her on the phone and her roommate said Ashleigih has just been shot, and Joshua has shot himself. That's the worst think you ever want to hear," Woodlee said.
Mahaffey's roommate, Joshua Scott, was allegedly with Mahaffey at the time of the killings.
He's now charged with two counts of first degree murder in the death of Ashleigh and her unborn child. He's also accused of murder in the death of his mother's ex-boyfriend whom investigators claim Scott killed before stealing his car and driving to Lindsey's home.
Scott is being held in the Marshall County jail without bond. His attorney did not respond to our request for comment. A trial date has been set for August 26.
Since her daughter's murder, Woodlee has begun speaking publicly about the dangers of domestic violence. She's also started a non-profit organization called Ashleigh's Patience Project. Woodlee says Ashleigh planned to name her child Patience.
There's also a documentary being filmed titled Ashleigh's Patience Project.
Governor Rick Perry's office has sent the producers of the documentary a letter of commendation for raising awareness about domestic violence.
"This story is real. It wrote itself and I think we can tap into the drama and the passion, the energy from this story and really bring it to life. Also, to give Ashleigh and Patience a legacy," producer Joey Edwards said.
Woodlee says purple was always Ashleigh's favorite color. Coincidentally, it's also the color symbolizing domestic violence.
Woodlee says she now wears it almost every day as a constant reminder of her daughter and granddaughter, and legacy she hopes they both leave.
"I just feel like it's my daughter moving through me to help people and not be where she was," Woodlee said.
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