Ashley Okland lived in West Des Moines, Iowa with her boyfriend Eric, and her new puppy, Indi. The 27-year-old had a large circle of friends and was very close with her brother Josh and her little sister Brittany. Ashley was a real estate agent for Iowa Realty, and likely never considered that a career selling homes would put her life directly in harm’s way.
Murder at the Open House
On April 8, 2011, Ashley was hosting an open house for a model townhome at 558 Stone Creek Court. At 2 pm, another employee working next door heard what she described as a “scuffle” followed by the sound of two gunshots. The unnamed woman ran over, found Ashley bleeding to death on the floor, and called the police. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries.
An autopsy determined that Ashley had been shot once in the head and once in the chest. There was no evidence of a robbery or sexual assault and no signs of a struggle, leading investigators to conclude that she likely knew her killer and didn’t realize she was in danger until it was far too late.
Unfortunately, an open house is just that — open to anyone. Prospective buyers are usually free to come and go as they please and no names are recorded. Due to this, it is difficult to determine who killed Ashley that fateful spring afternoon, and while the authorities expressed that they have not zoned in on a particular suspect, several people have been questioned.
Another Realtor was Considered a Suspect
Investigators received multiple tips referencing a “scruffy” man who was seen talking to Ashley 2 or 3 times in the weeks leading up to her death right outside the model townhome. On one occasion, the man reportedly sat in a vehicle resembling a black Cadillac Escalade, and waited for Ashley to exit the home and drive away, at which point he drove off behind her.
The man was quickly identified as a realtor in his 50s named Joseph Kruse. He also worked for Iowa Realty, was friends with Ashley, and drove a black SUV. Joseph took his own life on June 8, 2011 — two months to the day Ashley was killed. After his death, his sister told reporters he had been ruled out as a suspect in Ashley’s murder and that he was devastated over her passing. She claimed money problems were to blame for his death.
It’s important to note that investigators have only publically ruled out those closest to Ashley including her family and her long-time boyfriend, Eric.
The Woman Who Found Ashley Disappeared
Another suspect was the woman who found Ashley’s body. 17 days after the murder, the unnamed 50-year-old woman left her mother a note claiming she needed to “think about some things” and was considering taking her own life. She took a bottle of pills and a knife with her and wrote that her mother should look for her in a “nice hotel.” She was eventually found unharmed after her mother called the police and reported her missing.
Investigators later stated that they weren’t sure whether the incident with the unnamed woman was related to Ashley’s murder.
While it’s certainly feasible that either of these individuals were involved in Ashley’s murder it’s also possible they were struggling with personal issues that had no connection to her tragic demise. Needless to say, finding a body and being accused of murder can take a toll on one’s mental state.
Realtor Safety & the Ashley Okland Star Playground
After Ashley’s death, the Des Moines Realtor Association developed a safety training course and local realtors pledged that they would not show a home without first meeting the prospective buyer in a public place and requesting their identification — the first of its kind in the entire nation.
Ashley was regarded as a charitable, effervescent woman who volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and was eager to support children with impairments. Over 1,600 people attended her funeral and the community raised $600,000 to build the Ashley Okland Star Playground, adapted with equipment for children with cognitive and physical disabilities.
“Ashley was all-inclusive in her personality, which is exactly what this playground is. It caters to children of every ability, whether they have special needs or not, and she would have loved that,” a close friend of Ashley’s named Susan Hatten told reporters back in May 2014.
Ashley Okland’s Murder Remains Unsolved
Over the last 12 years, 900 leads have been investigated, however, Ashley Okland’s murder remains unsolved. A $150,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for her death. Contact Crime Stoppers at (515) 223-1400 or (800) 452-1111.