Shivangi Sinha
In June 2019, authorities were called to a residence in Pocahontas, Arkansas, where Butch Smith had discovered the remains of his mother, Linda Collins-Smith. She had served as a State Senator and had recently undergone a difficult divorce, which led to numerous questions being raised. The police pursued several leads and eventually uncovered evidence that unmistakably revealed the identity of the killer. The details of the crime and the process through which the perpetrator was apprehended are thoroughly explored in ABC’s ’20/20: Red Handed.’
Linda Collins-Smith’s Remains Were Found in the Driveway of Her House
Linda F. Collins was born on April 17, 1962, to Carolyn and Benny Collins. Raised with limited resources, she spent most of her teenage years in Williford, Arkansas. She was determined to build a life of her own and eventually opened a Days Inn in Pocahontas, where she worked for several years before transitioning into a career in real estate. Linda took great pride in her journey of self-made success, but always aspired for more. A politically active figure, she was initially a member of the Democratic Party and served a single term in the Arkansas House of Representatives from District 80 between 2011 and 2013. In August 2011, during her term, she made the decision to switch to the Republican Party.
In 2015, Linda Collins was elected to the Arkansas Senate as a Republican and served her term until 2019. During her time in office, she proposed notable legislation, including the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act, which aimed to mandate that individuals in public facilities like restrooms and changing areas use the one that corresponds with the sex on their birth certificate. She also introduced the True Campus Carry Act, intended to allow students and faculty with concealed carry permits to carry firearms on college campuses without needing additional training or permits. Since 1995, Linda had been married to Phil Smith, a circuit court judge. Together, they raised two children, Butch and Heather Tate. Her personal and professional life seemed stable until 2017.
Phil became embroiled in a scandal and was removed from his judicial position. That November, Linda filed for divorce, which was finalized in 2018. However, the process was far from smooth. The couple battled over numerous issues, and Linda reportedly voiced her frustration about the ordeal to friends and acquaintances. On June 4, 2019, Butch and his grandfather, Benny, decided to check on Linda, as they hadn’t heard from her in several days. Their calls and text messages had gone unanswered, and growing increasingly concerned, they went to her home. Upon arriving, they noticed a foul odor coming from the driveway. When they investigated further, they discovered Linda’s remains concealed under a tarp. Initially, it was suspected that she had died from gunshot wounds, but a subsequent examination revealed that she had actually been stabbed and her body had been dragged from one location to another.
Linda Collins-Smith’s Actions Were Caught on CCTV Cameras
The last time anyone heard from Linda Collins-Smith was on May 28, 2019, and investigators believed that this was likely the date she had been killed. Due to the recent divorce, many initially suspected her ex-husband, Phil Smith, might be involved. However, the police quickly made an arrest. On June 14, 2019, Rebecca O’Donnell, a friend of Linda’s, was taken into custody while she was on her way to attend the memorial service. Rebecca had known Linda for some time, as her husband, Tim Loggains, had previously served as Linda’s power of attorney. The couple had been close to the political leader and had supported her throughout her divorce. They had even helped her install security cameras at her home during that difficult time.
In July 2019, Rebecca pleaded not guilty to the charges, and due to a gag order placed on the case, very few details were made public at the time. She remained in custody, and in January 2020, she was charged with two counts each of solicitation to commit capital murder and solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence. According to police reports, she had asked fellow inmates to murder Phil, his second wife, Mary, Judge Harold Erwin, and prosecutor Henry Boyce. The inmates who came forward claimed that Rebecca had told them about gold and silver coins in Phil’s home, which she promised to give them as payment. Rebecca also alleged that Phil had framed her for money laundering and claimed she had been helping manage Linda’s inn.
In August 2020, Rebecca pleaded guilty to the charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse, and entered a no-contest plea to two counts of solicitation to commit capital murder and two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence. The evidence related to the murder came to light much later, after the gag order was lifted. Police had discovered several videos of Rebecca inside Linda’s house. In the footage, she could be seen removing the security cameras, and in one of the frames, she was even holding a knife. She was sentenced on all her charges. Prosecutors argued that Rebecca had been stealing from Linda. They also uncovered records of her selling gold and silver coins in three separate transactions in 2018 in Memphis and Little Rock. They claimed that Linda had confronted her about the theft, which ultimately led to the crime.
Read More: Heather Tate Williams and Butch Smith: Where Are Linda Collins-Smith’s Kids Now?
