What happened to Trent Mallory? Details explored ahead of Killer Relationships with Faith Jenkins on Oxygen

The tragic case of Trent Mallory will be discussed in an upcoming episode of Killer Relationships with Faith Jenkins on Oxygen. 36-year-old Trent Mallory, a man from Michigan, was discovered dead from a gunshot wound to the head in his Levering home on March 6, 2014.

His fiancée, Amber Smith, came home to a house that had been ransacked and found his body, prompting her to call 911 shortly after. Probing quickly turned the suspicion on Smith as the prosecution cited financial strain, gambling issues, and manipulation as a motive.

The prosecution stated that Smith was still financially dependent on Trent Mallory and that he had accumulated $25,000 in debts in his gambling. Prosecutors presented evidence such as the murder weapon, and a .22 caliber Ruger rifle. The rifle was buried in snow at her sister's property.

Fingerprints on the gun appeared to belong only to Smith and her inconsistent accounts of how it got at the office created suspicion. Prosecutors made Smith sound like a "master manipulator," suggesting that Trent Mallory's death might have been linked with Smith's financial desperation as well as conflict over their overdue debts.

The episode Ice Cold Killer of Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins is set to air on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 8/7c on Oxygen. You can also catch it the next day on Peacock.

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Testimony of Trent Mallory's family and friends

In court, relatives and close friends of Trent Mallory testified about his relationship with Smith, often portraying her as having a hands-on approach to the couple's finances that left them at a financially strained status.

His family remembers that his car was repossessed, which Smith said happened through some other means, the family later claims. A forensic pathologist testified that Mallory indeed died from a single gunshot wound but could not determine with any precision when she died.

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Defense and alibi evidence

Smith's defense attorney, Bryan Klawuhn, called the allegations a fabrication, pointing out that she had maintained her innocence. Klawuhn presented an alibi, including her whereabouts between 7 and 10:30 am, when she said she returned to find the crime, having stopped at her son's school, a pharmacy, and other places.

Klawuhn argued that killing Trent Mallory would have been in opposition to Smith's self-interest, given that the latter relied on him for funds, and that her behavior was inconsistent with that of one whose actions were motivated by reasons to kill.

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Forensic evidence and limitations

The forensic evidence against the murder of Trenton Mallory was significant but limited in application. There was a .22 caliber Ruger rifle found buried near Amber Smith's sister's property; the prints were reportedly of Smith.

The defense countered this by showing it may have been handled by others previously, which would make such evidence less credible.

Other evidence at the crime scene included a shoe print consistent with Smith's shoes and tire marks in front of the house. These could not be considered definitive since the experts noted that they might be perfectly coincidental as she lived in the house.

The forensic pathologist confirmed that Mallory had died from a gunshot wound to the head, but there was no indication of the time of death. This left the timeline inconclusive.

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Killer Relationships with Faith Jenkins will provide a deeper look into this case, examining the legal proceedings and the unresolved questions surrounding Mallory’s death. Viewers can tune in to gain a closer understanding of the investigation, the evidence, and the trial that followed this devastating event.

The episode "Ice Cold Killer" of Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins premieres on Saturday, November 9, 2024, on Oxygen.