Iowa woman pleads not guilty in 2011 killing of real estate agent

April 12, 2026 - 01:54

An Iowa woman has formally pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the long-unsolved 2011 killing of real estate agent Ashley Okland. The plea was entered in Polk County District Court, marking a significant development in a case that has remained open for over fifteen years.

Okland, 27, was shot multiple times while showing a model townhome in a West Des Moines suburb in April 2011. The shocking daytime attack in a seemingly safe neighborhood sent waves of fear through the community and sparked an extensive investigation that, for years, yielded no arrests.

Authorities have disclosed few new details about the evidence leading to the recent arrest. The case's progression to trial promises to revisit a haunting local mystery that has lingered for more than a decade. The community and Okland's family, who have long awaited answers, now face the protracted process of a murder trial. The court will set further proceedings, including a trial date, in the coming weeks.