The Mountain Home Police Department has identified the murder victim, who was stabbed at the local Dollar General, located at 4016 Highway 5 South, as 38-year-old Kirstie Headley, a store employee and resident of Mountain Home. She was transported to Baxter Regional Medical Center and later died from her injuries.
Mountain Home Police Chief Carry Manuel says the suspected assailant, 43-year-old Rick Allen Headley, is being held at the Baxter County Detention Center for murder, based on probable cause, pending the formal filing of charges. As of 11:30 Wednesday morning, he is being without bond with charges listed as violating a protection order and charges pending.
Manuel says the case has been turned over to 14th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kerry Chism. Requests have been made to the Mountain Home Police Department for internal records regarding both the victim and the suspect. Manuel says there are three reports, or separate incidents, listing their names. However, those reports have been made secure as part of the investigation.
Manuel declined to comment if there was video evidence obtained at the scene. That particular store does have video surveillance capability. It was reported officers were on the lookout for a red four-door vehicle. Rick Headley was in that vehicle at some point, and it has been seized. Manual would not comment if a weapon had been recovered or if any other arrests would be made in relation to the case. He does say this didn’t appear to be a random act.
Online court records indicate in November 2017, Kirstie Headley filed an order of protection against her then husband Rick Headley. In that order it states he was scheduled to be released from incarceration. There are no felony records for him online. On December 12th, a request for dismissal of the protection order was filed and closed the same day.
On January 2nd, the order of protection was reopened, and filed on behalf of Kirstie Headley and a minor female listed in the household. In that report she says she had made several attempts to get Rick Headley to leave her house but he refused. She described him as verbally, mentally and physically abusive toward her. The report states last October he pulled a knife on her. In November last year she reports he pulled a knife on her, stabbed her in the hip and prevented her from calling the police.
The order of protection was reinstated on February 23rd when Rick Headley failed to appear for a hearing.
According to Manuel, a 911 call was received reporting the store stabbing at 9:58 Wednesday evening. The caller stated Kirstie Headley was stabbed multiple times by the suspect, and he had fled the area. Law enforcement personnel from the Mountain Home Police Department, Baxter County Sheriffs Office, and Arkansas State Police responded to the location with the first officer arriving at 10:00 p.m. While investigators processed the crime scene, law enforcement personnel searched for the suspect. A friend of Rick Headley’s called 911 several times and stated the suspect wanted to turn himself in to law enforcement, but he didnt know his location.
Based on information received by law enforcement personnel, it was determined Rick Headley might have been near the Moose Lodge or the soccer complex on Highway 5 South. Officers located his vehicle near Amons Lake at 11:36 p.m., but he fled on foot prior to their arrival.
The Baxter County Sheriffs Office helicopter and tracking dogs from the Arkansas Department of Correction in Calico Rock were called to assist with the search. During the search, a resident who lives on Widners Place and who is a friend of the suspect, called the Baxter County Sheriffs Office and reported that Rick Headley was at the residence and wanted to surrender.
Law enforcement personnel responded to the residence and took Rick Headley into custody without incident.
The Baxter County Coroner responded to Baxter Regional Medical Center to work with law enforcement personnel investigating the case.
Kirstie Headley’s body was taken to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy.
Manuel says investigators are pulling all of their resources together. He says MHPD owes that to the victim, her family and the citizens of Mountain Home.
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