Following a 15-year investigation that haunted the local real estate community, authorities announced a major breakthrough Wednesday in the cold case homicide of Ashley Okland.
Police have arrested Kristin “Krissy” Ramsey, 53, charging her with first-degree murder in connection with the April 8, 2011, shooting. The arrest marks the first significant movement in a case that had remained one of Iowa’s most prominent unsolved mysteries for over a decade.
The 2011 Model Home Shooting
The investigation began on a Friday afternoon in 2011 when 27-year-old Ashley Okland was staffing a model townhouse for Rottlund Homes in West Des Moines.
According to investigative records and Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa:
- A fellow employee heard a “commotion” inside the property and discovered Okland on the floor.
- Emergency responders found Okland suffering from two gunshot wounds.
- She was rushed to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Despite thousands of leads and a substantial reward fund, the trail went cold shortly after the slaying, leaving the West Des Moines community and the real estate industry on edge for years.
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The Suspect: A Former Colleague
The arrest of Kristin Ramsey brings a startling new dimension to the case. At the time of the murder, Ramsey—then known as Krissy Ramsey—served as a sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the same developer that employed Okland.
While West Des Moines Police officials declined to comment on a specific motive or the exact nature of the relationship between the two women during a Wednesday press conference, the professional connection has become a central focus of public scrutiny.
“Ashley’s story has kept many of us awake at night, revisiting the details over and over in our minds,” said Jody Hayes, Assistant Chief of the West Des Moines Police Department. “Our work is not done yet.”
A Family’s Decades-Long Wait
For the Okland family, the announcement provided a sense of relief they feared would never come. Speaking at the briefing, Ashley’s siblings described the emotional toll of the 14-year stalemate.
“We had lost our hopes in finding answers and having any justice for Ashley,” said her sister, Brittany Bruce. “It was really difficult to accept the case had gone cold.”
Her brother, Josh Okland, echoed the sentiment, noting that the family had envisioned this day “very often” since 2011.
Ramsey is currently being held on charges of first-degree murder. As of March 18, 2026, formal plea entries and attorney information have not been made public.
The West Des Moines Police Department has indicated that the investigation remains active as they prepare for the prosecutorial phase. Under Iowa law, a conviction for first-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
