In the quiet town of Pocahontas, Arkansas, the life of 57-year-old former state senator Linda Collins-Smith, a female, came to a tragic and violent end. Her body was discovered outside her home on June 4, 2019, concealed under a tarp in her driveway. The remains were in a state of advanced decomposition, initially making identification difficult and leading to early, incorrect reports that she had been shot. Neighbors later recalled hearing gunshots a day or two before the grim discovery.
However, an autopsy would later reveal the horrifying truth: Linda Collins-Smith had been stabbed to death.
The investigation into her murder quickly centered on someone unexpectedly close to her, Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, a 48-year-old friend and former campaign aide. The two were known to be very close, having traveled together and worked side-by-side on grassroots political efforts. O'Donnell had even served as a witness in Collins-Smith's recent divorce proceedings. This close relationship made her arrest all the more shocking to the community and to Collins-Smith's family, who expressed their profound dismay that someone so trusted could be involved in such a heartless crime.
Investigators uncovered evidence that pointed directly to O'Donnell. Security camera footage from inside the former senator's home showed O'Donnell removing the cameras on May 28, 2019, the last day Collins-Smith was seen alive. The motive for this brutal act, according to prosecutors, was financial. It is believed that O'Donnell killed Collins-Smith to prevent the discovery of money she had stolen from her. While awaiting trial, O'Donnell's legal troubles deepened as she was charged with soliciting fellow inmates to murder Collins-Smith's ex-husband, a former judge, and the prosecutor in her case.
Faced with the possibility of the death penalty, Rebecca O'Donnell ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, and two counts of criminal solicitation. In court, she admitted, 'I went to Linda's house, and intentionally killed her and then hid the body.' She was sentenced to 50 years in prison for her crimes, bringing a legal conclusion to a case that began with the disappearance of a prominent political figure and ended with the conviction of her trusted friend.
