Special prosecutor assigned to former Arkansas senator's murder case

Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell is escorted out of the Randolph County Courthouse on July 30 after she was arraigned in former state Sen. Linda Collins’ slaying.
Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell is escorted out of the Randolph County Courthouse on July 30 after she was arraigned in former state Sen. Linda Collins’ slaying.

Jefferson County prosector Robert Dittrich was assigned on Friday to take charge of the murder case against a Pocahontas woman charged in the death of former state Sen. Linda Collins, after the local prosecutor previously assigned to the case recused.

The appointment of Dittrich was approved by an order of Judge John Fogleman on Tuesday. Fogleman himself was recently assigned to the case, after a succession of other judges recused.

The unusually high turnover of officials in the case prompted Collins' family last week to issue a statement of confidence in the case against Rebecca O'Donnell, a close friend and former campaign aid of Collins who has been accused of killing the former Republican lawmaker.

Collins was found stabbed to death in her home in June. Police arrested O'Donnell less than two weeks later and charged her with capital murder.

The previous prosecutor, Henry Boyce, did not divulge a suspected motive. O'Donnell has pleaded innocent.

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