Dateline NBC: Where is Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell now?

The high-profile murder case of Senator Linda Collins led investigators to the victim's best friend, Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell, as the killer. Rebecca had supported Linda throughout her election campaign and the two had become closer than ever after Linda's divorce in November 2017.

She fatally stabbed Linda, destroyed her surveillance cameras, and left her body in the driveway covered by a comforter on June 4, 2019. Rebecca was sentenced to 50 years in prison and is currently incarcerated at the Interstate Compacts unit, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

The Dateline episode titled The Hands of a Killer showcases the brutal murder of Linda Collins as the episode airs on NBC on July 12, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST. The official synopsis reads,

"When former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins is found fatally stabbed outside her home, detectives investigate if her murder is connected to her political career or her personal life; the victim's children speak out about the case."

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Who was Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell?

Episode 21 of Season 30 showcases the brutal murder of the erstwhile Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins as she was stabbed to her death in June 2019. Linda had returned to her Pocahontas home from Washington D.C. when she became unresponsive over calls and texts.

Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell was introduced to Linda by then-fiance, Tim Loggains, who reportedly knew her through high school, according to ABC News. The two friends were reportedly inseparable as a source mentioned to People Magazine,

“If you ever wanted to know what was going on with Linda, you could ask Becky. And vice versa. They did everything together, and they were close confidantes. They called each other ‘sisters,’ even though they weren’t blood relations.”

As the investigation began, the authorities found Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell destroying the surveillance cameras of the residence with a bloody knife in her hand, according to K8 News. While the motive remains unknown, Linda's son Butch alleged financial issues and theft to be the driving cause.

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Where is Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell now?

Rebecca O’Donnell was arrested a week and a half after Linda Collins' murder. Collins was on her way to Linda's funeral with Loggains when she was arrested. Rebecca was charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. She pleaded not guilty and reportedly tried to shift the blame to Collins' ex-husband, Philip Smith, according to the US Sun.

However, she took a plea deal on August 6, 2020, to put the death sentence off the table. Rebecca pleaded guilty to the charges and reportedly admitted,

"I went to Linda’s house and I intentionally killed her and then hid the body."

Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell was sentenced to 50 years in prison after she was convicted in August 2020. However, she had attempted another hit through a murder-for-hire plot with Philip Smith and his new wife as the targets.

However, her fellow inmates, who were scheduled for release, confided in the authorities and provided them proof of a suicide note handwritten by Rebecca. Rebecca Lynn O'Donnell pleaded no contest to solicitation to commit capital murder and solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence.

She was incarcerated at the McPherson Unit in Newport but was eventually moved into the Interstate Compacts facility due to security reasons.

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The episode originally aired on April 8, 2022. Catch all the details about Linda Collins' murder as the Dateline episode airs on NBC on Friday.