West Des Moines Woman Charged with 2011 Murder of Realtor
A 15-year-old cold case has been solved after 35-year-old Kristin Ramsey was charged with the murder of Ashley Okland, a realtor who was showing a model townhouse to prospective buyers when she was shot twice.
Motive Still Unknown
Although police have not revealed the motive behind the murder, the connection between Okland and Ramsey, both of whom worked in the real estate industry, has sparked speculation.
Real Estate Connection
- Ramsey worked as an administrative assistant and sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the builder behind the model townhouse where Okland was shot.
- Okland was an agent of Iowa Realtor & Co.
- After leaving Rottlund Homes, Ramsey worked for Midland Title & Escrow, a company that is part of Iowa Realty.
Case Details
The murder took place on April 8, 2011, at a townhouse located on 558 Stone Creek Court, in the Stone Creek Villas subdivision of West Des Moines.
Investigation and Reaction
Assistant Police Chief Jody Hayes, who has been working on the case since the beginning, said that the murder "kept many of us awake at night."
"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," Hayes said.
Iowa Realty's Statement
Iowa Realty, the company Okland worked for, released a statement expressing relief that the case has been solved, but also expressing shock that the suspect worked for a company that is part of Iowa Realty.
"Everyone within Iowa Realty and related companies was relieved for the family of our friend and colleague Ashley Okland that an arrest was made for her murder," the statement read.
"And while we take comfort that Ashley's family finally and our community as a whole has closure, it is with tremendous shock and sadness that we learned of the arrest of Kristin Ramsey, an employee of Midland Title & Escrow, an organization which is a part of Iowa Realty.
"Kristin became associated with the company several months after the events of 2011. Along with everyone in our community, we are understandably stunned."
Timeline
- April 8, 2011: Ashley Okland is murdered at a townhouse in West Des Moines.
- 2018: Rottlund Homes is closed down.
- 2023: Kristin Ramsey is charged with Okland's murder.