The number of domestic violence-related homicides in 2022 in Louisville now totals more than the previous two years combined.And with the holidays upon us, victim advocates fear the number could rise before the end of the year.”You oftentimes have some relationships that already have some turbulence, some strain in them, and so now on top of it you have the expectations,” said Elizabeth Wessels-Martin, president of the Center for Women and Families. “I mean, there’s a tremendous amount of expectations that society puts on us when it comes to the holidays.”Louisville saw nine domestic violence-related homicides in 2020 and 10 in 2021, according to data from the center and LMPD.Thursday’s arrest of Jeremy Thompson marked the 20th case in Louisville in 2022.Thompson is accused of shooting Kierra Stone Gonzalez in the head in September at her apartment on Rangeland Road in the Newburg neighborhood. Her 2-year-old daughter was alone in the apartment with her mother’s body for three days before concerned family members arrived. Stone Gonzalez and Thompson were “romantically involved,” according to his arrest warrant. Before he allegedly killed her, he texted her threatening messages such as, “I’ll smoke you,” according to the warrant.Thompson was convicted in 2016 of wanton endangerment in another domestic violence case, according to court records. In that case, the victim told police he choked her until she nearly passed out. A judge set his bond at $1 million on Friday during his arraignment for charges of murder-domestic violence and wanton endangerment.Domestic violence is on the rise across the U.S. as the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.The holidays see an increase in domestic violence for several reasons, Wessels-Martin said.Financial stressIncreased alcohol useDisrupted routinesFamily obligations”So you’ve got all of those ingredients that could potentially ignite an already turbulent relationship,” she said.Friends and families who observe unusual behavior can intervene by waiting until their loved one’s partner or spouse is away or in another room, Wessels-Martin suggested.She also urged domestic violence victims to reach out for help by calling their hotline at 502-581-7200. The center operates a campus with temporary housing and has just collected Christmas gifts for the families staying there. “If there is already physical violence going on, please don’t wait,” she said. “We will do our best to help you have a Christmas here. But it’s not worth losing somebody’s life over this.”