The former girlfriend of the man who is claiming the estate of Tabitha Marie Smith in Meigs County said Kenneth Colbaugh would have nothing to do with his former wife, Ms. Smith.
Dueling lawsuits have been filed in Federal Court in the wake of the death of Ms. Smith handcuffed in the back of a Meigs County patrol vehicle that was driven into the Tennessee River.
Nathan Alexander Smith, son of Tabitha Smith, is also seeking to be declared the legitimate heir.
Sheena McHone said she lived with Colbaugh at 1021 Sneed Road in Decature beginning sometime in 2019. She said they stayed together, except for once when he was in jail, until last October.
Ms. McHone said Colbaugh's daughter was the only other person in the house. She said Colbaugh did not want her taking the child to see "her real mother."
She said she and Colbaugh would do drugs together almost daily. She said when she moved in she was addicted to one drug and he introduced her to another.
Ms. McHone said she did not find out that Colbaugh was still married to Ms. Smith until about five months after she moved in with him.
She said Colbaugh told her that the last straw with Ms. Smith was one day when he came home and found her passed out with the baby in the crib nearby. She said he told her that he then kicked Ms. Smith out and got a restraining order against her.