Kristin Ramsey charged with 2011 murder of Ashley Okland

Iowa authorities have charged an Iowa woman with murder 15 years after West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland was killed at an open house. West Des Moines police held a news conference Wednesday morning, during which several people spoke — including Okland’s siblings. Video above: ‘Today is why we created the Iowa Cold Case Unit,’ Iowa AG Brenna Bird saysKCCI will livestream the news conference in the video player above, as well as on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Expected speakers include Okland’s siblings, Josh Okland and Brittany Bruce, along with West Des Moines Police Chief Craig Bellamy and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, among others.Kristin Ramsey, 53, of Woodward, is charged with first-degree murder. She has been booked into the Dallas County Jail and is being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.Okland, 27, was found dead with two gunshot wounds inside a model townhome where she was holding an open house on April 8, 2011. Jody Hayes, West Des Moines assistant police chief, said during Wednesday’s news conference that no other arrests are anticipated.”Today is why we created the Iowa Cold Case Unit,” Bird said Wednesday. “… I hoped and prayed this day would come (for Okland’s family.” West Des Moines police make arrest in 15-year-old cold case of murdered realtor Ashley OklandMurder of Ashley Okland: Arrest made in 15-year-old cold case’Feels like a long time’KCCI spoke with Josh Okland, Ashley’s brother, in 2025 around the 14th anniversary of his sister’s death.”When I think about the last time I saw her, yeah, 14 years feels like a long time,” said Josh Okland.He’s spent the last decade and a half wondering why someone would want to kill his sister. He vividly remembers being with her the day before she died.”April 7th, we spent the entire afternoon together. Her real estate career was booming, and she hired me to be her assistant to work on small stuff for her, make pamphlets. So we sat at Panera in Ankeny for four hours, and she was training me, but yeah, I will never forget that day,” said Josh Okland.He had no indication that anything was wrong or that she was afraid of anybody. “No. Not at all. And we were very close. If there was something going on, she would have told me,” he said.Ashley Okland’s legacy is permanently planted in Ewing Park, where a playground for children with special needs is built in her honor.”I am proud to be her brother. She impacted so many people in such a positive way and such a good role model for a short 27-year life. Her legacy lives on,” said Josh Okland.The investigationIn 2025, the West Des Moines Police Department told KCCI that investigators have interviewed hundreds of people and looked into more than a thousand leads in the case. In 2024, when Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced the state’s new Cold Case Unit, Josh Okland was there with several other families seeking answers and justice.A news conference will be held at the West Des Moines Police Department at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. KCCI will livestream the news conference on our website, Facebook and YouTube.From the archives’Always the angel’: Family and friends mourn at 2011 funeral of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland’It will never be the same’: Ashley Okland’s family awaits answers after realtor’s 2011 murder’We are doing everything we can to solve the case’: Investigators mark 10 years since murder of West Des Moines realtor Ashley OklandAccessible playground dedicated in memory of slain West Des Moines realtor Ashley OklandAnswers for Ashley: Investigators launch website asking for tips on eighth anniversary of murder of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland

Iowa authorities have charged an Iowa woman with murder 15 years after West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland was killed at an open house. West Des Moines police held a news conference Wednesday morning, during which several people spoke — including Okland’s siblings.

Video above: ‘Today is why we created the Iowa Cold Case Unit,’ Iowa AG Brenna Bird says

KCCI will livestream the news conference in the video player above, as well as on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Expected speakers include Okland’s siblings, Josh Okland and Brittany Bruce, along with West Des Moines Police Chief Craig Bellamy and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, among others.

Kristin Ramsey, 53, of Woodward, is charged with first-degree murder. She has been booked into the Dallas County Jail and is being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Okland, 27, was found dead with two gunshot wounds inside a model townhome where she was holding an open house on April 8, 2011.

Jody Hayes, West Des Moines assistant police chief, said during Wednesday’s news conference that no other arrests are anticipated.

“Today is why we created the Iowa Cold Case Unit,” Bird said Wednesday. “… I hoped and prayed this day would come (for Okland’s family.”

West Des Moines police make arrest in 15-year-old cold case of murdered realtor Ashley Okland
Murder of Ashley Okland: Arrest made in 15-year-old cold case
‘Feels like a long time’

KCCI spoke with Josh Okland, Ashley’s brother, in 2025 around the 14th anniversary of his sister’s death.

“When I think about the last time I saw her, yeah, 14 years feels like a long time,” said Josh Okland.

He’s spent the last decade and a half wondering why someone would want to kill his sister. He vividly remembers being with her the day before she died.

“April 7th, we spent the entire afternoon together. Her real estate career was booming, and she hired me to be her assistant to work on small stuff for her, make pamphlets. So we sat at Panera in Ankeny for four hours, and she was training me, but yeah, I will never forget that day,” said Josh Okland.

He had no indication that anything was wrong or that she was afraid of anybody. “No. Not at all. And we were very close. If there was something going on, she would have told me,” he said.

Ashley Okland’s legacy is permanently planted in Ewing Park, where a playground for children with special needs is built in her honor.

“I am proud to be her brother. She impacted so many people in such a positive way and such a good role model for a short 27-year life. Her legacy lives on,” said Josh Okland.

The investigation

In 2025, the West Des Moines Police Department told KCCI that investigators have interviewed hundreds of people and looked into more than a thousand leads in the case. In 2024, when Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced the state’s new Cold Case Unit, Josh Okland was there with several other families seeking answers and justice.

A news conference will be held at the West Des Moines Police Department at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. KCCI will livestream the news conference on our website, Facebook and YouTube.

From the archives

‘Always the angel’: Family and friends mourn at 2011 funeral of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland

‘It will never be the same’: Ashley Okland’s family awaits answers after realtor’s 2011 murder

‘We are doing everything we can to solve the case’: Investigators mark 10 years since murder of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland

Accessible playground dedicated in memory of slain West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland

Answers for Ashley: Investigators launch website asking for tips on eighth anniversary of murder of West Des Moines realtor Ashley Okland