Suspect in Iowa real estate agent's cold case murder spotted at crime scene

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Kristin Ramsey, 53, has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 cold case killing of Iowa real estate agent Ashley Okland. According to new court documents, a witness claims to have seen Ramsey outside the model townhome where Okland was shot and killed shortly after the gunshots were heard.

Why it matters

The arrest of Ramsey in this long-unsolved murder case provides hope for Okland's family and the local community that justice may finally be served, while also raising questions about what new evidence or witness accounts led to the charges over a decade later.

The details

Okland was working at a model townhome in West Des Moines when she was shot twice at close range - once in the chest and once in the face. A witness in a neighboring townhome said she heard two loud 'thuds' that she believed were gunshots, and then saw Ramsey outside the front door of the model home. The witness later saw Ramsey quickly back up her car and drive away, before returning to the area shortly after. Ramsey, who was a sales manager for the company that owned the model home, has allegedly given conflicting accounts of her whereabouts and actions on the day of the murder.

• On April 8, 2011, Ashley Okland was fatally shot inside a model townhome in West Des Moines, Iowa.
• Kristin Ramsey, 53, was arrested last month and charged with first-degree murder in Okland's death.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Ramsey is due in court on Friday for a bail hearing, where the judge will decide whether to allow her to be released on bail pending further legal proceedings.