Linda Collins Explained

Linda Collins
State Senate:Arkansas
District:19th
Term Start:January 12, 2015
Term End:January 14, 2019
Predecessor:David Wyatt
Successor:James Sturch
State House2:Arkansas
District2:80th
Term Start2:January 10, 2011
Term End2:January 14, 2013
Predecessor2:David Cook
Successor2:Charlene Fite
Birth Date:17 April 1962
Birth Place:Pocahontas, Arkansas, U.S.
Death Place:Pocahontas, Arkansas, U.S.
Profession:Hotelier
Party:Republican (2011–2019)
Otherparty:Democratic (until 2011)
Spouse:Philip Smith (2018)
Children:2

Linda F. Collins (April 17, 1962 – May 28, 2019; known as Linda Collins-Smith until her divorce) was an American businesswoman and politician who served a single term from 2015 to 2019 as a Republican member of the Arkansas Senate.

On June 4, 2019, she was found stabbed to death. Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, a former campaign worker, was convicted of the murder.

Early life and career

Collins was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas, and was native to the area.[1] [2] However, she was educated in Williford, Arkansas.[3] Her family was very poor, living 10 miles down a gravel road, in a home that didn't have running water until her teen years. According to her campaign website "her background taught her the value of hard work, and the blessing of living in a land where everyone, from the poor country girl to the inner city street kid, had the opportunity to achieve their dreams through industry and determination."[4]

Since at least 2001, Collins owned and operated the Days Inn in Pocahontas, which was sold in 2016. Before owning Days Inn she was a real estate agent.

Political career

Affiliation

According to her obituary:[5]

House of Representatives

Prior to her Senate service, Collins was a one-term member from 2011 to 2013 of the Arkansas House of Representatives from District 80.[6] Though elected as a Democrat, she switched parties in August 2011, eight months after taking office.[7] [8]

Senate

In redistricting, Collins was moved to the same 61st House district as Republican incumbent Lori Benedict. Therefore, Collins chose to run for the Arkansas Senate in the 19th district, rather than challenge Benedict.[9] Incumbent Democratic Senator David Wyatt defeated her in the 2012 general election, but on November 4, 2014, she beat Democrat James McLean for the seat. Wyatt died shortly thereafter.

Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act

In 2017, Collins introduced Senate Bill 774, the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act, which would prohibit people, including transgender people, from entering government restrooms or changing facilities designated for the opposite sex, as it pertains to "a person’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.”[10] [11] She said the bill would set a baseline for privacy across the state and shield public schools from lawsuits by organizations "seeking to impose their anti-privacy agenda on our children."[12] It did not pass.[11]

True Campus Carry Act

In 2017, Collins announced the True Campus Carry Act, which would have allowed concealed-carry license holders to walk armed on campus with no additional training.[13]

2018 Republican Primary

Collins frequently butted heads with Governor Asa Hutchinson, both as a result of her proposed legislation as well as her opposition to Medicaid expansion in the state. In May 2018, state representative James Sturch challenged Collins in that month's Republican state senate primary, garnering Hutchinson's support.[14] Collins lost a close race, with 4,726 votes to Sturch's 5,299.[15]

Personal life

Collins was married to Philip Smith, a circuit court judge who was disgraced after a 2017 scandal. She filed for divorce that November.[16] They had two children and three grandchildren.

Murder

On June 4, 2019, Collins' father and son found her body outside her home in Pocahontas; she had died of stab wounds (initially reported as gunshot wounds).[17] [18] [19]

On June 17, Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell of Pocahontas, a former campaign worker and personal friend of Collins, was charged with capital murder, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse.[20] [21] She initially pleaded not guilty on all three counts, but later pled guilty to murdering Collins and abusing her corpse. On Aug. 6, 2020, O’Donnell pleaded guilty to murder. "I intentionally killed her and then hid the body,” she said during court proceedings. The next day, she was sentenced to 43 years in prison.[22]

Investigators determined that O'Donnell killed Collins on May 28.[23] According to Collins' son, O'Donnell constantly stole money from her and "snapped" when she was confronted about it.[24] However, O’Donnell claimed Collins had not had any income since January and she was taking the money out of a hotel they mutually owned to pay Linda’s bills.[25]

In July 2024, a new Dateline episode was released detailing the murder, titled The Hands of the Killer.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary: Linda F. Collins of Pocahontas, Arkansas: 1962 - 2019 . Fears Family Funeral Home . June 11, 2019 . July 6, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190706053136/https://www.fearsfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/linda-collins . live .
  2. Web site: 2019-06-07. Former Arkansas state legislator Linda Collins-Smith reportedly a victim of homicide. 2020-12-16. Blasting News. en.
  3. Web site: Collins-Smith seeks District 80 State Rep position. July 9, 2009.
  4. Web site: McBride. Jessica. 2019-06-05. Linda Collins-Smith: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191106194044/https://heavy.com/news/2019/06/linda-collins-smith/. November 6, 2019. 2019-11-06. Heavy.com. en.
  5. Web site: Linda Collins Obituary.
  6. Web site: Local News: Collins-Smith seeks District 80 State Rep position (07/09/09) . Area Wide News . July 9, 2009 . October 28, 2013 . August 3, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170803051059/http://www.areawidenews.com/story/1553483.html . live .
  7. News: Rep. Collins-Smith Joins Republican Ranks (updated) . Talkbusiness.net . August 8, 2011 . October 28, 2013 . October 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203946/http://talkbusiness.net/2011/08/rep-collins-smith-joins-republican-ranks-updated/ . live .
  8. News: Andrew Demillo . Arkansas Rep. Linda Collins-Smith switches to GOP . Deseret News . August 10, 2011 . October 28, 2013 . October 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202049/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700169738/Arkansas-Rep-Linda-Collins-Smith-switches-to-GOP.html . live .
  9. Web site: Tammy Curtis . Local News: Collins-Smith announces State Senate candidacy . Area Wide News . November 26, 2011 . October 28, 2013 . October 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201029/http://www.areawidenews.com/story/1788365.html . live .
  10. News: New bill specifies use of bathrooms in Arkansas government buildings. Arkansas Online. March 8, 2017. March 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170308134051/http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/mar/07/intelligent-design-instruction-urged-ne/. live.
  11. Web site: "Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act (SB 774)", Rewire.News Legislative Tracker . June 12, 2019 . August 12, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190812140604/https://rewire.news/legislative-tracker/law/arkansas-physical-privacy-safety-act-sb-774/ . live .
  12. News: Ark. legislator proposes 'bathroom bill' after other legislator withdraws previous bill. TEGNA. KTHV. March 8, 2017. en-US. March 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170308035856/http://www.thv11.com/news/local/ark-legislator-proposes-another-bathroom-bill-after-withdrawal-of-previous-bill/420282153. live.
  13. Web site: 2018-05-21. Battle over health care, guns marks Arkansas Senate race. 2020-12-16. Arkansas Online. en.
  14. Web site: John. Moritz. Battle over health care, guns marks Arkansas Senate race. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. May 21, 2018. July 4, 2022.
  15. Web site: George. Jared. Collins-Smith loses State Senate seat; Rep. Sullivan survives primary challenge. KASU. May 23, 2018. July 4, 2022.
  16. News: Michael Hibblen. June 10, 2019. Services Scheduled For Former Arkansas State Sen. Linda Collins-Smith. KUAR. live. June 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190611122143/https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/services-scheduled-former-arkansas-state-sen-linda-collins-smith. June 11, 2019.
  17. News: Former state senator found dead from gunshot wound. Magnolia Reporter. June 4, 2019. June 5, 2019. June 5, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190605043639/http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/regional_news/article_3d2ea538-8749-11e9-b009-3367fa47434f.html. live.
  18. Web site: Rebecca O'Donnell facing death penalty in former Sen. Collins murder case. KTHV. 2019-11-06. November 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191106172447/https://www.thv11.com/article/news/crime/rebecca-odonnell-facing-death-penalty-in-former-sen-collins-murder-case/91-775100be-e4b3-4946-967a-28ad22bd6eed. live.
  19. Web site: Prosecutors to seek death penalty for suspect in shooting death of former senator. ABC News. en. 2019-11-06. December 3, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191203090049/https://abcnews.go.com/US/prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-suspect-shooting-death-arkansas/story?id=64663941. live.
  20. News: Arrest made in connection to death of Linda Collins-Smith . THV11 . June 17, 2019 . June 14, 2019 . June 15, 2019 . June 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190615021730/https://www.thv11.com/article/news/crime/arrest-made-in-connection-to-death-of-linda-collins-smith/91-1341470e-c721-442e-955b-15e233edfd5f . live .
  21. News: Andrew Demillo . Arkansas woman charged with murder in ex-senator's killing . Houston Chronicle . AP . June 17, 2019 . June 18, 2019 . June 17, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190617194747/https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Arkansas-woman-charged-with-murder-in-14005410.php . dead .
  22. News: Ex-aide pleads guilty to murder of conservative Arkansas state senator Linda Collins. August 7, 2020. foxnews.com. August 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810031439/https://www.foxnews.com/us/ex-aide-pleads-guilty-to-murder-of-conservative-arkansas-state-senator-linda-collins. live.
  23. Web site: Max. Brantley. Family seeks protection of some files in Linda Collins murder investigation. Arkansas Times. August 25, 2020. July 4, 2022.
  24. Web site: Rebecca O' Donnell pleads guilty to murdering former senator Linda Collins. August 6, 2020.
  25. Web site: Newsdesk. Region 8. NEW DETAILS: Rebecca O'Donnell, a bloody knife and a chicken. 2020-12-16. KAIT. en-US.

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