Iowa Police Arrest Woman Suspect in Realtor Ashley Okland Murder, 15 Years After Tragic Killing

In 2011, 27-year-old realtor Ashley Okland was shot dead during an open house in Iowa. The incident raised questions about realtors' safety, but the case went cold despite hundreds of leads.

Now, 15 years later, Okland’s family has finally found some respite as the police have arrested a suspect in the case. On March 18, the West Des Moines Police Department announced that they had arrested 53-year-old Kristin Ramsey on the charge of first-degree murder for allegedly killing Okland.

“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 that was responsible for this act,” West Des Moines Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes said, talking about the 15-year-long investigation.

However, the motive behind the crime remains unclear, and police have not revealed what led them to identify Ramsey as the culprit. But it has been established that the victim and the accused shared a professional connection.

At the time of her death, Okland was hosting an open house at a model townhome in West Des Moines. Meanwhile, Ramsey worked as a sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the builder of the townhome where Okland was killed.

On April 8, 2011, a Rottlund Homes employee heard a loud noise at the model townhouse. As she reached the scene, she found Okland lying on the floor with two gunshot wounds. The victim had been shot in the head and chest. First responders were called, and they rushed her to a hospital, but Okland was pronounced dead.

At the time, investigators interviewed over 500 people and offered a $150,000 reward for information leading to the suspect. However, no progress was made, and the shooter remained at large. Interestingly, months after the murder, Ramsey joined Midland Title & Escrow, a company within the same parent organization as Iowa Realty, where Okland worked.

The incident sparked fear among realtors in Iowa, and agents have since been taking extra steps to ensure their safety during open houses. Elli Jennings Shindealer, a realtor with Jennings Real Estate Team, talked about how Okland’s death impacted the industry in an interview with WHO 13.

She said, “I personally will not host an open house alone. I always have a partner, whether it’s my spouse or somebody else from my team. Honestly, this case, it goes through my mind on a weekly basis, and so being so local to it, we’re constantly reminded of the ugliness out there in the world.”

Ramsey has been indicted and is currently locked up at the Dallas County Jail on a $2 million cash bond. Meanwhile, Okland’s family has expressed relief over the suspect’s arrest after more than a decade.

The victim’s sister, Brittany Bruce, said during a press conference, “We had lost our hopes in finding answers and having any justice for Ashley. It was really difficult to accept the case had gone cold.”