A 31-year-old man from North Carolina is now on trial in Virginia, accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend after their breakup. Prosecutors say Trenton Frye strangled 28-year-old Katlyn Montgomery with charging cords in October 2022 after becoming dangerously obsessed with her. The court heard that Frye sent disturbing messages and stalked Katlyn before her tragic death.
Breakup Turned Deadly
Katlyn and Frye ended their relationship in September 2022. But according to Bedford County Commonwealth Attorney Wes Nance, Frye could not move on and began stalking her. In court, prosecutors presented several angry and emotional text messages that Frye allegedly sent to Katlyn after the breakup.
“I’m tearing myself apart,” he wrote in one message. In others, he called her names like “lowlife” and accused her of cheating and being “toxic.” These texts painted a clear picture of a man losing control, according to prosecutors.
How She Was Found
Katlyn was discovered unconscious in her apartment in Bedford County, Virginia, in late October 2022. She was rushed to the hospital but sadly didn’t survive. Doctors found marks on her neck that looked like she had been strangled, and police found phone charging cords wrapped in a blanket at the crime scene. These cords matched the size of the marks on her neck.
Evidence of Obsession
In court, prosecutors revealed that Frye searched online for things like “how to find out if someone is on a dating app” and “can you search someone’s Snapchat by email.” He also looked up floor plans of Katlyn’s apartment, which she shared with her daughter and a roommate.
Police said Frye had a purple hairbrush in his vehicle when he was arrested—purple was Katlyn’s favorite color, mentioned in her obituary. This detail added an emotional layer to the case, as friends and family were asked to wear purple at her funeral.
Frye’s Changing Story
When questioned by investigators, Frye reportedly gave conflicting stories. At one point, he said, “I must have blacked out.” But his lawyer, Joseph Sanzone, claims that Frye is innocent and insists there is no proof he was in the apartment the night Katlyn died.
“Something tragic happened to Katlyn,” the lawyer told the court. “But there’s no evidence placing Trenton at the scene.”