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Former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins was found murdered in her home on June 4, 2019.
Now, it seems prosecutors finally seem ready to reveal what they believe was the motive for her killing.
Rebecca O'Donnell, 49, was arrested last year and charged with "capital murder, abuse of a corpse and evidence tampering."
The murdered body of Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins-Smith was found shot to death and wrapped in a blanket ac… https://t.co/n2IjEaAtxz— Matt Couch 🎙 (@Matt Couch 🎙) 1560186289.0
O'Donnell and Collins were close friends.
The alleged murderer had worked for Collins' campaign in Pocahontas, Arkansas according to a spokesperson for the defendant.
A court filing in the capital murder case against Rebecca O’Donnell for the slaying of former Sen. Linda Collins li… https://t.co/iFtdIXtGIv— Arkansas Times (@Arkansas Times) 1588966561.0
AR: a woman killed a state senator then plotted hits on the judge & prosecutor! Rebecca O’Donnell, 49, is charged w… https://t.co/4lGis7SIsQ— TheCyberChick (@TheCyberChick) 1589426798.0
In January, however, prosecutors also decided to charge O'Donnell in additional murder-for-hire schemes beyond the killing of Linda Collins.
They alleged O'Donnell sought to hire inmates from the Jackson County jail to kill "Collins' ex-husband and his wife, a judge and a prior prosecutor on O'Donnell's murder case."
Judge David Goodson releases new information to the press in the Linda Collins murder case today. https://t.co/d7KbHCZtb2— Diana Davis (@Diana Davis) 1564519392.0
Why did O'Donnell do these things?
According to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, special prosecutor Robert Dittrich claimed in a court filing that he believes the murder "was committed for the purpose of avoiding or preventing an arrest" and "for [financial] gain."
Prosecutors believe that the woman they charged with killing former state Sen. Linda Collins last year did so for m… https://t.co/8D5cQ2wa65— NWA Democrat-Gazette (@NWA Democrat-Gazette) 1589049835.0
It's unclear how O'Donnell would have benefitted financially from Collins' death or why she suspected she would be arrested.
The state will undoubtedly be making this point clearer during the upcoming trial.
@tammytabby @UghToHillary So what was the finamcial motive for the killing? And how did that tie into her divorce f… https://t.co/NzUz21e2YX— 🇺🇸 FreeRangeTejano 🇺🇸 (@🇺🇸 FreeRangeTejano 🇺🇸) 1589436735.0
Collins' body was found last June in an "advanced state of decomposition" at least two days after her neighbors reportedly heard gunshots.
It took multiple days to identify her body using dental records.
Correction. The first two judges recused themselves because they worked with Linda Collins ex-husband. They are on… https://t.co/JnnsgYO5UW— Corey Lynn - Corey's Digs (@Corey Lynn - Corey's Digs) 1575835336.0
If prosecutors manage to convince the jury of O'Donnell's actions during her trial, they will ask the judge for the death penalty as punishment.
The books True Crime Case Histories Volumes 1-3: 32 Disturbing True Crime Stories is available here.