WEST DES MOINES, IA — A witness saw Kristin Ramsey outside a model home immediately after hearing what prosecutors believe were the gunshots that killed Iowa real estate agent Ashley Okland in 2011, according to new court documents filed Wednesday.
The revelation comes as prosecutors oppose Ramsey’s request to reduce her $2 million bond to $100,000. Ramsey, 53, was arrested last month and charged with first-degree murder in Okland’s April 8, 2011, killing at a townhome open house in West Des Moines. The case remained unsolved for 15 years before the March arrest brought renewed hope to Okland’s family and investigators who interviewed hundreds of people over the years.
The witness, who was in a neighboring townhome that shared a wall with where Okland’s body was found, told investigators she heard two loud thuds shortly after 2 p.m. on the day of the killing. Court documents filed by prosecutors Wednesday detail how the witness then saw Ramsey outside the front door of the model home, followed by observing her pacing by her vehicle while talking on her cell phone. The phone call was made within two minutes of the thuds the witness heard, according to the filing. “Shortly after that the witness observed the Defendant from the second floor window of her home pacing by her vehicle on her cell phone,” the court documents state. The witness then watched as Ramsey backed up her car quickly and “in an erratic manner” before driving away.
Concerned something was wrong, the witness entered the model home and discovered Okland unresponsive on the ground, according to prosecutors. The witness called 911, and authorities later recovered two .380 cartridge cases that appeared to have been fired. An autopsy confirmed Okland, 27, died from two close-range gunshots to the chest and head. No one else was seen in the immediate area at the time of the shooting, and investigators found no signs of forced entry or damage inside the house, the filing states. Court documents also reveal that investigators found an email sent from Okland’s account to a friend shortly before 2 p.m., which they believe showed Okland was not in distress before the attack.
Ramsey worked as a sales manager for Rottlund Homes, the company that owned the townhome development where Okland was hosting the open house, according to court documents and her LinkedIn profile. Prosecutors said Ramsey has been interviewed multiple times about the shooting over the years and provided conflicting versions of her whereabouts on April 8, 2011. The statements conflict with each other and with other witness statements, officials said. Investigators executed search warrants at Ramsey’s home twice — once less than a month after the shooting on May 3, 2011, and again on March 17, 2026, the day she was arrested. Both searches found multiple firearms, illegal substances and posters threatening violence, according to court documents.
The killing sent shockwaves through the real estate industry, prompting a “safety pledge” of best practices aimed at keeping agents safer. A 2024 industry survey found that many agents still find themselves in situations that make them fear for their safety, and some have told NBC News they believe the industry needs stronger safety rules. Okland’s siblings expressed gratitude to law enforcement at a news conference following Ramsey’s arrest. “West Des Moines police department have done so much for us over the last 15 years,” one sibling said. The arrest came on the 15th anniversary of Okland’s death, marking what family members called a significant turning point after years of uncertainty.
Ramsey is scheduled to appear in court Friday for her arraignment, a bond review hearing and arguments over a motion to quash a search warrant for her phone. Her defense team, which described her as a onetime cheerleading champion who married her high school sweetheart and has strong ties to her small Iowa town, argues the search warrant is overly broad and should not apply since Ramsey did not have the phone in question at the time of the crime 15 years ago. Prosecutors are asking that if the court accepts a lower bond and releases Ramsey, she should be supervised and wear an ankle monitor. They argue Ramsey is a flight risk with access to guns, making her a danger to herself or others.
Ramsey maintains her innocence through her attorneys, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. She has not entered a plea and is being held at the Dallas County Jail. Dallas County Attorney Matt Schultz declined to comment on why Ramsey was not arrested until last month, despite the long-running investigation. Court documents do not identify a possible motive for the killing, and prosecutors have not publicly detailed the connection between Ramsey and Okland beyond their professional relationship through the real estate development.
The case represents one of Iowa’s most high-profile cold cases, with investigators pursuing countless leads over 15 years before the breakthrough arrest. As the legal proceedings move forward, the anniversary of Okland’s death serves as both a reminder of the long wait for answers and hope that justice may finally be within reach for her family and the community that was shaken by her killing.
