Woman Arrested in 2011 Murder of Iowa Realtor

West Des Moines, Iowa authorities have arrested a 53-year-old woman in connection with the 2011 murder of real estate agent Ashley Okland, bringing a long-dormant cold case to a potential resolution nearly 15 years after the brazen daytime killing.

On April 8, 2011, Okland, then 27 and employed by Iowa Realty Co., was hosting an open house at a model townhome on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines when she was shot twice around 2 p.m. An employee at the property, developed by Rottlund Homes, heard a commotion inside the unit and entered to find Okland on the floor. The worker called 911, and Okland was rushed to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, where she succumbed to her injuries. The shooting, occurring in broad daylight on a Friday afternoon, stunned the local community and the real estate industry, leaving investigators initially puzzled by the lack of immediate suspects.

Kristin Elizabeth Ramsey, of Woodward, Iowa, was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder following an indictment by a Dallas County grand jury. At the time of the killing, Ramsey worked as an administrative assistant and sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the company...