Iowa Woman Charged in 2011 Killing of Realtor

Suspect worked for company that built home where Ashley Okland was killed

Mar. 19, 2026 at 3:35am

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More than a decade after an Iowa real estate agent was gunned down in a model townhouse, police have charged 53-year-old Kristin Ramsey with first-degree murder in the 2011 killing of 27-year-old Ashley Okland. Ramsey worked for the company that built the townhouse where Okland was killed, but her former boss said he never suspected her involvement.

Why it matters

The unsolved killing of Ashley Okland in 2011 had long haunted the Iowa real estate community, leading to increased safety measures for realtors. The arrest of a suspect over a decade later provides some closure, but also raises questions about what new evidence led to the charges.

The details

Okland was shot and killed while working alone at a model home on April 8, 2011. Kristin Ramsey, who worked for the home-building company Rottlund Homes at the time, has now been charged with first-degree murder in the case. Ramsey had no prior criminal record aside from a speeding ticket. Police have not disclosed what new evidence led to the charges against Ramsey.

  • Okland was killed on April 8, 2011.
  • Ramsey was charged with first-degree murder on March 19, 2026, over 14 years after the killing.

The players

Kristin Ramsey

A 53-year-old woman charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 killing of realtor Ashley Okland. Ramsey worked for the company that built the model home where Okland was killed.

Ashley Okland

A 27-year-old Iowa realtor who was shot and killed while working alone at a model home in 2011.

Steven Kahn

Ramsey's former boss at Rottlund Homes, the company that built the townhouse where Okland was killed. Kahn said he never suspected Ramsey's involvement and described her as "the nicest lady".

Jody Hayes

The assistant police chief who has been on the case from the start, saying Okland's story has "kept many of us awake at night" over the years.

Brittany Bruce

Okland's sister, who said the family had begun to lose hope that the case would ever be solved.

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What they’re saying

“There's nothing from a business standpoint that I could see why it would have happened. I have no idea about anything in her personal life.”

— Steven Kahn, Ramsey's former boss

“Ashley's story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds, searching for that missing piece that would tie everything together and lead us down the right path to identifying a person who was responsible for this act.”

— Jody Hayes, Assistant Police Chief

“That Friday afternoon when Ashley was taken from us seems so long ago. We now have full confidence in the investigators and prosecutors to see this through.”

— Brittany Bruce, Okland's sister

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Kristin Ramsey out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the persistence of law enforcement in solving cold cases, even over a decade later. It also underscores the lasting trauma and impact on families of unsolved violent crimes, and the importance of continued efforts to bring closure and justice.