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Who is Kristin Ramsey? 5 things to know on suspect arrested in Ashley Okland's 2011 murder
Kristin Elizabeth Ramsey, 53 of Woodward, was arrested in Ashley Okland’s 2011 murder, nearly 15 years later, in a cold case breakthrough. Charges unclear.
Kristin Elizabeth Ramsey, a 53-year-old woman from Woodward, Iowa, was arrested on Tuesday for Ashley Okland's murder, nearly 15 years after it happened on April 8, 2011. As of now, West Des Moines police have not confirmed the charges against her.
West Des Moines Police Department said in a press release on Wednesday that they arrested Ramsey in the cold case that has puzzled investigators for over a decade. A press conference will be held on the arrest of Kristin Ramsey, on Wednesday, 9am, the department said.
The murder of Ashley Okland was one of the high-profile unsolved cases in Iowa, if not in the entire United States. Ramsey's arrest marks a major breakthrough that never came for years despite a whopping $150,000 reward for information related to the suspect.
In this article, we will look at what is known and not known about Kristin Ramsey under five key points.
Who Is Kristin Ramsey? 5 Things To Know
1. Kristin Ramsey is from Woodward, Iowa, which is 30–35 miles (about an hour's journey) from Grinnell, where Ashley Okland was killed.
2. She is 53 years old: West Des Moines Police confirmed that Kristin Ramsey is 53 years old. The police have not commented on her relationship with Ashley Oakland.
3. Kristin Ramsey is being held at Dallas County Jail, the police confirmed. Her bond has been set at $2 million. A mugshot of Kristin Ramsey surfaced on the arrest records at Dallas County Jail.
Here's the mugshot:
4. Charges against Ramsey unclear: The police did not clarify what charges Kristin Ramsey is facing. As a result, it is unclear what her role in the murder could be.
5. More details expected Wednesday: West Des Moines Police will hold a presser to provide further details about the arrest on Wednesday at 9am. More details on Ramsey are expected to be revealed in the presser.
Also read: Nancy Guthrie update: Ex-FBI agent points at critical clue in suspect video; ‘could this explain…’
Ashley Okland Murder Timeline: What Happened To The 27-Year-Old?
Ashley Okland, a 27-year-old real estate agent, was fatally shot twice on the head on April 8, 2011, while hosting an open house at a townhome in West Des Moines. An employee of Rottlund Homes found her after hearing a disturbance and alerted the police. She was taken to a hospital where she passed away.
Between 2011 and 2018, the investigators pursued over 1,000 leads, but they did not lead to any information on the suspect. In 2021, on the 10-year anniversary of the incident, police confirmed the case was active and they had pursued nearly 900 leads and 500 contacts.
Then in 2025, the case was officially made a cold case with the Iowa Cold Case Unit taking over. Tuesday's arrest seemed to have come from the unit's investigation.
