A former Republican Arkansas state Senator was found wrapped in a blanket after reportedly dying from a gunshot wound.
Linda Collins-Smith, 57, died in her Pocahontas, Arkansas, home, which is around two hours outside of Little Rock. Her former press secretary Ken Yang said neighbors allegedly heard gunshots a day or two before Collins-Smith was discovered Tuesday, KATV reported.
Arkansas State Police public information officer Bill Sadler said to The Daily Caller News Foundation over email Wednesday that officials were contacted Tuesday afternoon. A state medical examiner will confirm the identity of the human remains Wednesday.
“A manner and cause of death will be determined by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory,” Sadler continued. “The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division has been requested by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department to be the lead investigative agency in what is currently being handled as a homicide investigation.”
Collins-Smith served in the state House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013, switching from a Democrat to a Republican months after becoming elected. She was later elected to the state Senate in 2014 for District 19, according to the Daily Beast. She lost re-election in 2018.
“To so many of us, Senator Linda Collins-Smith was more than just a colleague,” the Democratic Party of Kansas tweeted Tuesday. “She was a friend and warm person.”
https://twitter.com/ArkDems/status/1136094720894128128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer
“She was a passionate voice for her people and a close member of our Republican family,” the Arkansas GOP tweeted Tuesday. “We are praying for her loved ones during this difficult time.”
https://twitter.com/ARGOP/status/1136080642549145600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer
Her stances on issues included overturning Roe v. Wade, protecting gun rights and supporting the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
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