‘Devoted’ mom was taken to a hospital unconscious. Now, NC man is charged in her death

Katlyn Montgomery was known for being a dedicated mom and a feisty fashionista.

But the music-loving 28-year-old’s life was cut short after she was found unconscious in Virginia on Oct. 7, officials said.

Now, about two weeks after her death, a North Carolina man is facing charges, according to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia.

Trenton Frye — a 28-year-old from Greensboro, North Carolina — was taken into custody on Thursday, Oct. 20. Deputies didn’t list attorney information for him in a news release.

Frye is charged with second-degree murder after officials said Montgomery was found unresponsive in the Forest community, roughly 45 miles east of Roanoke, Virginia. She was taken to a hospital and later died.

Montgomery, a Forest resident, is remembered as a “devoted and loving mother to her 4-year-old daughter.”

“The last thing Katlyn wrote in her journal was I am loved,” her family wrote in a statement that the sheriff’s office shared on Facebook. “Our pain will become our purpose to carry on her legacy and remind everyone they are loved.”

Montgomery was also known to be a generous person who wanted others to be happy, according to the post and an obituary on the Heritage Funeral Service & Crematory website.

“She loved music, festivals, and was our dancing queen,” her obituary said. “She never met a stranger and was fortunate to travel, so that she could spread the message of peace, love, and unity to all she encountered. She was our family mac-n-cheese connoisseur and rarely did you see her without an iced coffee in her hand.”

Officials in their news release didn’t say how Montgomery died and didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Oct. 24.

Deputies ask anyone with information about the case to call them at 540-586-7827 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900. People can also submit tips online at p3tips.com or through the P3Tips smartphone application.

Woman killed in apartment when downstairs neighbor fires gun into ceiling, NC cops say

‘Kind and gentle’ grandmother found dead in home, NC cops say. Man charged with murder