US Politics | Chilling twist in case of Linda Collins-Smith as surveillance cameras removed by murderer provide unexpected clue
DETAILS in the horrifying case of Linda Collins-Smith have been revealed after surveillance cameras provided a shocking twist. The body of Linda, 57, was found decaying at her home in Pocahontas, Arkansas, back in 2019. 
APLinda Collins-Smith was a former politician '/ ' 
ABCHer body was found decaying at her home in Arkansas when her son and father located her body in her garage after they hadn't heard from her in a week '/ ' Her dad and son found her in the garage after they hadn't heard from her in a week. Initially, it was assumed her husband had killed her because they were going through an ugly divorce at the time. But surveillance cameras removed from the scene later revealed Linda's best friend was to blame. Linda's son, Butch Smith, told ABC's 20/20: "I was just kind of in shock, I saw my mom there. "You start thinking about who the heck could have done this? "And my first answer was that my dad did it." More on Crime 
DEADLY UNION Chilling way bodybuilding champ was murdered by wife as new crime doc airs 
MEDICINE AND MURDER How serial killer nurse got away with murdering 'hundreds' for 16 years Linda's daughter, Tate Williams, added: "You always think of who has the most to gain. "And with the divorce being disputed, I said, 'You know, it was my dad.'" Linda Collins-Smith and her ex-husband Phil Smith were married for 20 years and the divorce involved at least $2million in assets. But when cameras showed her best friend, Becky O'Donnell, 48, on surveillance, they noticed she was holding a bloody knife in her hand. O'Donnell tried to remain innocent, blaming Collins's ex-husband for the horrific murder while claiming she had been framed. Most read in The US Sun IS HE OK? Pete Davidson 'suffers meltdown on TV show set and throws coffee, candles & a TV' FINAL SMILE Chilling final pics of husband with wife moments before he pushed her off cliff FREAK ACCIDENTS Horror theme park deaths of two electrocuted and one thrown 60ft from ride TONGUE-TIED GMA's Michael Strahan shuts down co-host Cecilia Vega leaving her speechless KOURT IT OUT Kourtney fans 'mortified' for her kids as they spot 'gross' detail in new pic POPPING OFF Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings riles fans with his 'most offensive tweet' yet But the killer eventually confessed to her chilling crimes. She told authorities: ...I went to Linda's house, and I intentionally killed her and then hid the body.... The other suspects, including Collins's ex-husband Phil Smith, were cleared by authorities. O'Donnell was charged with capital murder, corpse abuse, and evidence tampering. She is currently serving 50 years in prison. FINDING LINDA Linda Collins-Smith was a former member of the Arkansas Senate from 2015-2019. Before her shocking death, she took a trip to DC, hoping to restart her political career after losing her seat. Her family had thought she had returned home safely, but things quickly turned for the worse when they hadn't heard from her. ...I knew that she had made it home,... her son Butch Smith told 20/20. ...But past that, that was the last I had heard.... Her daughter, Tate Williams, said she texted her mother, but her messages weren't going through, and that Collins was noticeably absent from social media. Hoping to solve the mystery, Collins-Smith's father and her son Butch went by her home and noticed that her car was in the driveway, but all the doors to her house were locked. They knocked, but no one answered, so they went inside to find any clues about her disappearance. Unexpedectly, they did find a random dark spot on the kitchen floor. ...It looked like somebody had dropped a coffee pot, and it had sprayed out from just in a semicircular path out from there,... Butch said. The family soon found out it was blood. Smith continued to search around the home and found his mother's body in the garage. After investigators searched the home, they learned that Collins had security cameras around the house, but they thought they had been removed. Read More on The US Sun 
IT'S OVER Tom & Gisele 'had to divorce quickly to avoid drama like Kim & Kanye,' judge says 
THINKING AHEAD Creepy AI predicts face of 'last human on Earth' and the results are eerie After further research, they learned the video footage of that day had been restored, and they could obtain a copy. Phil Smith released a statement to ABC News: ...My family and I are grateful that justice has been done. My request is to be left in peace and that Linda be allowed to rest in peace.... 
ABC 2020Linda Collins' body was found in her garage by her son and father '/ ' 
ABC 2020Becky O'Donnell killed her best friend in her home '/ ' 
ABC 2020Linda Collins was killed in her home in Arkansas '/ '
APLinda Collins-Smith was a former politician '/ ' ABCHer body was found decaying at her home in Arkansas when her son and father located her body in her garage after they hadn't heard from her in a week '/ ' Her dad and son found her in the garage after they hadn't heard from her in a week. Initially, it was assumed her husband had killed her because they were going through an ugly divorce at the time. But surveillance cameras removed from the scene later revealed Linda's best friend was to blame. Linda's son, Butch Smith, told ABC's 20/20: "I was just kind of in shock, I saw my mom there. "You start thinking about who the heck could have done this? "And my first answer was that my dad did it." More on Crime DEADLY UNION Chilling way bodybuilding champ was murdered by wife as new crime doc airs MEDICINE AND MURDER How serial killer nurse got away with murdering 'hundreds' for 16 years Linda's daughter, Tate Williams, added: "You always think of who has the most to gain. "And with the divorce being disputed, I said, 'You know, it was my dad.'" Linda Collins-Smith and her ex-husband Phil Smith were married for 20 years and the divorce involved at least $2million in assets. But when cameras showed her best friend, Becky O'Donnell, 48, on surveillance, they noticed she was holding a bloody knife in her hand. O'Donnell tried to remain innocent, blaming Collins's ex-husband for the horrific murder while claiming she had been framed. Most read in The US Sun IS HE OK? Pete Davidson 'suffers meltdown on TV show set and throws coffee, candles & a TV' FINAL SMILE Chilling final pics of husband with wife moments before he pushed her off cliff FREAK ACCIDENTS Horror theme park deaths of two electrocuted and one thrown 60ft from ride TONGUE-TIED GMA's Michael Strahan shuts down co-host Cecilia Vega leaving her speechless KOURT IT OUT Kourtney fans 'mortified' for her kids as they spot 'gross' detail in new pic POPPING OFF Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings riles fans with his 'most offensive tweet' yet But the killer eventually confessed to her chilling crimes. She told authorities: ...I went to Linda's house, and I intentionally killed her and then hid the body.... The other suspects, including Collins's ex-husband Phil Smith, were cleared by authorities. O'Donnell was charged with capital murder, corpse abuse, and evidence tampering. She is currently serving 50 years in prison. FINDING LINDA Linda Collins-Smith was a former member of the Arkansas Senate from 2015-2019. Before her shocking death, she took a trip to DC, hoping to restart her political career after losing her seat. Her family had thought she had returned home safely, but things quickly turned for the worse when they hadn't heard from her. ...I knew that she had made it home,... her son Butch Smith told 20/20. ...But past that, that was the last I had heard.... Her daughter, Tate Williams, said she texted her mother, but her messages weren't going through, and that Collins was noticeably absent from social media. Hoping to solve the mystery, Collins-Smith's father and her son Butch went by her home and noticed that her car was in the driveway, but all the doors to her house were locked. They knocked, but no one answered, so they went inside to find any clues about her disappearance. Unexpedectly, they did find a random dark spot on the kitchen floor. ...It looked like somebody had dropped a coffee pot, and it had sprayed out from just in a semicircular path out from there,... Butch said. The family soon found out it was blood. Smith continued to search around the home and found his mother's body in the garage. After investigators searched the home, they learned that Collins had security cameras around the house, but they thought they had been removed. Read More on The US Sun IT'S OVER Tom & Gisele 'had to divorce quickly to avoid drama like Kim & Kanye,' judge says THINKING AHEAD Creepy AI predicts face of 'last human on Earth' and the results are eerie After further research, they learned the video footage of that day had been restored, and they could obtain a copy. Phil Smith released a statement to ABC News: ...My family and I are grateful that justice has been done. My request is to be left in peace and that Linda be allowed to rest in peace.... ABC 2020Linda Collins' body was found in her garage by her son and father '/ ' ABC 2020Becky O'Donnell killed her best friend in her home '/ ' ABC 2020Linda Collins was killed in her home in Arkansas '/ '
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