A Pulaski County judge ordered the Arkansas State Police to release the case file into the murder of former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins-Smith including incriminating video.
A lawsuit was filed to have the files and video released, which is subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Arkansas State Police released a large portion of the file, which is thousands of pages, on Tuesday. The files include 911 calls, made the Collins-Smith’s adult son, who discovered her body.
Evidence shows that investigators found blood in the kitchen along with bleach cleaner.
Investigators stated the bottle had blood smeared on the top of the nozzle.
Shortly after the discovery of the body ASP interviewed Collins-Smith’s former campaign aid Rebecca O’Donnell, who stated that the two of them had argued over a text message not being returned quickly enough.
Arkansas State Police investigators were able to retrieve Collins-Smith’s home security footage, which captured a woman screaming and images of Rebecca O’Donnell putting a large knife in a purse.
Detectives stated O’Donnell took Collins-Smith’s home security cameras but forgot to delete some of the video footage.
Hours after the murder, a nighttime video outside the home captures someone hiding under a white sheet going back into the residence.
Rebecca O’Donnell plead guilty and is now serving 50 years.
O’Donnell is in the state’s interstate compact program, meaning she’s housed in another state but her location cannot be made available to the public.
Investigators suggested that the motive for murder centers around money, with affidavits showing O’Donnell, forged the signature of Collins-Smith numerous times on checks.
O’Donnell was also convicted in a murder-for-hire plot.
Court documents show she attempted to hire fellow inmates to kill the judge in her case, prosecutors and Collins-Smith’s former husband.
A Pulaski County judge ordered the Arkansas State Police to release the case file into the murder of former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins-Smith including incriminating video.
A lawsuit was filed to have the files and video released, which is subject to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Arkansas State Police released a large portion of the file, which is thousands of pages, on Tuesday. The files include 911 calls, made the Collins-Smith’s adult son, who discovered her body.
Evidence shows that investigators found blood in the kitchen along with bleach cleaner.
Investigators stated the bottle had blood smeared on the top of the nozzle.
Shortly after the discovery of the body ASP interviewed Collins-Smith’s former campaign aid Rebecca O’Donnell, who stated that the two of them had argued over a text message not being returned quickly enough.
Arkansas State Police investigators were able to retrieve Collins-Smith’s home security footage, which captured a woman screaming and images of Rebecca O’Donnell putting a large knife in a purse.
Detectives stated O’Donnell took Collins-Smith’s home security cameras but forgot to delete some of the video footage.
Hours after the murder, a nighttime video outside the home captures someone hiding under a white sheet going back into the residence.
Rebecca O’Donnell plead guilty and is now serving 50 years.
O’Donnell is in the state’s interstate compact program, meaning she’s housed in another state but her location cannot be made available to the public.
Investigators suggested that the motive for murder centers around money, with affidavits showing O’Donnell, forged the signature of Collins-Smith numerous times on checks.
O’Donnell was also convicted in a murder-for-hire plot.
Court documents show she attempted to hire fellow inmates to kill the judge in her case, prosecutors and Collins-Smith’s former husband.
