The Nona Dirksmeyer Murder

Feb 9, 2008 - Update: Latest news - special prosecutor appointed.

Steve Huff is looking into an Arkansas murder case.

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported the following on December 17, 2005:

The death of a 19-year-old Russellville college student and beauty queen is being investigated as an “apparent homicide,” police said Friday.

Comments

[Jeannie]

I really hope you, "it's the boyfriend" really did "e-mail Furhman right now". Boy, would I love to give him a piece of a sane mind. He LOVES mental midgets like you. What you clearly dont get yet (duh) is he would only be interested if Kevin was from a rich famous family or black. Or in the case of you know who, rich, famous and black. He is insanely jealous of them. He will get his just deserts some day as we all know. Please forward to that nefarious b_____d.

[Jeannie]

Oh yeah, thank goodness for Dana, Me, Gordo and all still "think for yourself heads" out there. Do you think we can still make a comeback?

[Skeptic]

I agree with you Carl007. Some things are not soo cut and dried. The hair stood up on the back of my neck when 48 hours mystery mentioned that the stepfather took the cell phone right away and started erasing things. His whole weak explanation of that was that he's a cheapskate? Nona's mother married a depraved idiot the first time around (he sexually molested Nona), who's to say she didn't marry another depraved idiot.

I hope they release more info soon about who's DNA was on the condom. I would think, if they were checking the DNA in a database, that the database would be all or mostly people with criminal backgrounds (and I don't mean traffic tickets). So if they found a match, it seems like it would belong to someone with a questionable background. Will the police follow the lead, or be so adamant about pinning it on Kevin that they'll screw that up too?

[Carol]

I, too, was curious about the dna on the condom. Before I read any of the comments, I had
become very suspicious of the step father and wondered if maybe he hadn't been molesting
Nona. I am thinking that maybe she was "refusing him" and he became angry and started
hitting her with the lamp. The police need to get the phone records NOW. Imagine the step
dad wanting the phone?? The Mom made me want to "gag".

Hope the truth comes out!

[Boggs]

What was theory as to why she was naked? No sexual assualt? Sex willingly? With whom? Where's the condom? What was KJ's alibi up until he went to work? Did KJ's defense team confirm he failed the polygraph or are hearing just the PD's side of it? Police officers do lie.

I'm not convinced of KJ's innocence based on what was presented, but if I was on the jury, I would have said not guilty because on the weak case and lack of evidence.

[Mrs. Canada]

This kid is not guilty. Check that DNA wth a database! I'm with Skeptic.

I think cops usually get it right - but this case leaves an awful taste in my mouth.

The stedpdad is scary...

[Mojo]

I'M WITH YOU MRS. CANADA. STEPDAD IS JUST SCARY, EVEN MORE SO THAN JERK DETECTIVE.

[Skeptic]

There are a few other things that make this case seem as though there are other suspects not being investigated. For instance everyone thought Nona had an exclusive relationship with Kevin, yet later it is found that she had multiple sexual partners. Two were investigated and excluded as suspects, though it was not said what it was that excluded them. Apparently Nona was leading a somewhat secretive life. Were there other sexual partenrs who did not come forward out of fear of being connected with the case? On top of that, Nona was a beautiful young woman who most likely had many male admirers. Could she have been victim of a stalker who killed her when she said no to his sexual advances? That would explain a few things, like the scene looking like a "crime of passion". Also, if he went there with the idea of having sex with Nona, that would explain why she was naked. Having realized he killed her, he may have given up on the idea of having sex, as that would leave more evidence.

It also wasn't mentioned (if it was, I don't recall) if there were prints found on the lamp shaft. All that was mentioned was the bloody print on the bulb, but you couldn't hold up the lamp by the bulb and beat someone with it, the bulb would have broken to say the least.

I don't think of Nona's mother as a suspect, however it seemed odd and a bit creepy that both mother and stepfather seemed calm and even smiled throught the interview. You would think that even though 2 years have gone by, when a mother is talking about her brutally murdered daughter, that there would be sadness, tears, and even anger displayed.

Don't know what all this adds up to, but there seems to be more than meets the eye here...

[tugusmom]

I'm glad to see that I am not the only one to think there is something fishy about stepfather. How deep were his feelings for his step-daughter if he so callously wanted to erase all her contacts right after the murder? For the mother to say she am sure that is what Nona wanted makes me wonder about her too. I watched Kevin beating on his chair in the interrogation room and I viewed it as painful grief not guilt. Even after the decectives started telling him they knew he did it Kevin didn't ask for a lawyer. Not the actions of someone who knows that he has been found out.

[tugusmom]

I'm glad to see that I am not the only one to think there is something fishy about stepfather. How deep were his feelings for his step-daughter if he so callously wanted to erase all her contacts right after the murder? For the mother to say she am sure that is what Nona wanted makes me wonder about her too. I watched Kevin beating on his chair in the interrogation room and I viewed it as painful grief not guilt. Even after the decectives started telling him they knew he did it Kevin didn't ask for a lawyer. Not the actions of someone who knows that he has been found out.

[becky]

please, if nothing else these parents are very strange!!!! Who in there right mind erases a cell phone, the only thing that nona touched every day, it had her friends,text messages, pictures the only thing left probably with her personal messages. I have a friend that passed away and yes his parents still have that very phone, saved in a box with his voice saved forever.

[hmmmm.....just my 2 cents]

Wouldn't you think if you walked in on your long distance girlfriends home and found a condom wrapper that you would pick it up to waive it in her face to accuse her of cheating on you? I don't think one would leave it layin where it was to go off in a rage and accuse and kill someone. Usually if there is "evidence" of cheating that evidence is brought front and center to the attention of the "guilty."

Also, the prosecution's statement that during the rage and murder the lamp broke and the killer grabbed the lightbulb as the lamp fell to the ground. If you were in such a rage that you were beating someone don't you think when you grabbed that lightbulb you would be so tense you would crush it. Also if there was a print on the bulb where were his prints on the base as he swung it.

I agree that in his grief he moved the lamp from her body in order to check her pulse and try to revive her.

It is a shame her murder may never be found because the police were too lazy to run dna matches and other potential evidence

[you don't need to know]

I THINK THE STEPDAD DID IT BUT OTHER THAN THE CELL PHONE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE. I AM REALLY INTO CRIME SCENCE INVESTIGATIONS. I'M ALL FOR HELPING THE COPS AND NOT JUDGING PEOPLE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO NONA'S FAMILY THEY HAD GUILTY WRITTEN ALL OVER THEM. IF YOU WATCHED THE 48 HOUR MYSTERY SHOW YOU COULD TELL THAT NONA'S MOM WAS ALWAYS SMILING. THAT MAKES IT SEEM THAT SOMEONE IN THE FAMILY DID IT. I THINK THE MOM AND STEPDAD WERE IN IT TOGETHER. THE STEPDAD GOT THE PHONE BACK TO ERASE HIS EVIDENCE BUT THE MOM UNDRESSED HER. I THINK THE HESITATION MARKS ARE FROM THE MOM TRYING TO KILL HER BUT SHE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE HEART TO DO IT. BUT SHE HAD THE HEART TO UNDRESS HER AFTERWARD.

[Jeannie in Texas]

FORGIVE ME, BUT I AM JUST SOOOO CURIOUS, THIS IS FOR "ITSTHEBOYFRIEND.

DO WE HAVE MARK FURHMAN ON THE CASE YET??? HE BASICALLY TAUGHT ALL THE OTHERS HOW TO GET AWAY WITH IT AND MAKE MILLIONS ON THE BOOK DEAL. RIGHT???

[pink]

I THINK THE PARENTS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HER MURDER ESPECIALLY THE STEP FATHER. IT SEEMED A LITTLE FISHY, AND I THOUGHT THE MOTHER WAS SMILING WAY TOO MUCH, FOR A PERSON WHO SUPPOSE TO BE GRIEVING FOR HER DAUGHTER. THINK OF HOW STUPID THE POLICE WAS, GIVING EVIDENCE AWAY. GIVING THE STEP FATHER THE CELL PHONE, OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER EVIDENCE WAS ON THAT WAS DELETED. BUT THE POLICE COULD HAVE ALSO CHECK WITH THE TELE. COMPANY AND GET THE NUMBERS THAT WAS LINKED TO THE CELL PHONE. IF THEY SO THINK THAT KEVIN IS GUILTY, BY FINDING HIS FINGER PRINT ON THE BULB, SHOULDN'T THEY HAVE FOUND HIS FINGER PRINTS ON THE LAMP TOO, IF HE DID HELD IT? BUT THERE WAS NONE. THE POLICE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THEY DIDN'T DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY.

[jennie]

The step father did it, and the mother helped. On 48 hours, every time you saw her, she was always smiling. I certainly didn't see any grief....and the only reason the step father gave for taking the cell phone, is that he's a cheapskate, but he wanted to get rid of evidence linking to himself.

[mike]

personally i think he did it all the evidence is there. and the condom wrapper was probably why the whole thing happened in the first place. he just left it out to make it look like she had been rapped but the tests were taken and there were no signs of rape. so what does that tell you

[Walter Gardner]

My wife said half way through 48 hours the father did it. Logically,

If no prints on the lamp post, then he wiped them off or was wearing gloves. If he wiped them off then he'd of wiped the bulb also most likely. If he was wearing gloves, then they'd been no print on the bulb. Heck, it's a stretch but, maybe it was the police chief having an affair with her -- he controlled the investigation, giving the phone to the father and deciding to check the condome for fingerprints and not DNA.

[Dana]

Just to clarify, it was said that they now have a "viable suspect" after DNA evidence was found on the condom, (that the prosecutors office didnt even check for because they claimed that they had a coice of checking for prints or DNA because one test could potentially destroy the other. Not surprisingly, the defense had it tested for DNA anyway and some was found.) This doesn't necessarily mean that the person matched was a criminal, they could have found a match from DNA that was voluntarily given from men who knew Nona rather than from a criminal data base. My question is if they claim they have a viable suspect why does it seem that they are making no progress, hopefully it is because they are keeping their leads out of the media as to not disrupt possibilities of catching this guy make a mistake, rather than them just not persuing these new leads.And why are Nona's parents preparing a civil suit againts Kevin, when he was already found not guilty (i know some people have referenced the OJ simpson case here but seeing as how they had a ton of DNA and circumstantial evidence against OJ and literally nothing against Kevin it doesn't hold water here)and there are other suspects? I hope that her parents weren't involved, but coming from someone who watches too much Court TV, stranger things have happened.

[Itstheboyfriend]

People I will right back later. But can I please get a tally of who thinks he is guilty and who doesn't. It looks like everyone thinks he is innocent. Are you kidding me?

[lowcountry]

This itstheboyfriend is whacked!!! First of all, the boyfriend had been tried for this murder and found not guilty, he cannot be tried again, period. He could go on Oprah now and tell everyone how he did it, nad walk out free. I don't think he did it at all. The step-father is a wierdo, and the mother just smiled too much, she didn't seem to have any grief at all. There is no way that the killer left the blood on the lightbuld, it would have broken if he had been holding onto it while he was beating her.

I think that the step-father did for sure.

[more info]

These articles may be of some interest to those following the case. Pay special attention to the content of some text messages on Nona's phone and Nona's other lover Jeremy Martin.

[more info]

These articles may be of some interest to those following the case. Pay special attention to the content of some text messages on Nona's phone and Nona's other lover Jeremy Martin.

[lowcountry]

what article?

[lowcountry]

what articles?

[more info]

These articles. http://www.crimeandjustice.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=9528&st=40

[more info]

These articles. http://www.crimeandjustice.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=9528&st=40

[itstheboyfriend]

Okay, call me whacked, whatever; But they would find a charge for him. I think They are pursuing him in a civil trial. Also, are you trying to tell me that they have never found somebody not guilty and they were guilty? This was a crime of passion, the motive is there. HE FAILED A POLYGRAPH PEOPLE!! And it failed it bad!!!!!! Read the facts before you start to comment, and do your research people. He'll Slip up eventually.

[more info]

Here is another link about the trial. It illuminates some of the proceedings in the Jones trial. Includes reports from eyewitnesses in the courtroom. http://boards.crimelibrary.com/showthread.php?t=250375&page=121

[more info]

Here is another link about the trial. It illuminates some of the proceedings in the Jones trial. Includes reports from eyewitnesses in the courtroom. http://boards.crimelibrary.com/showthread.php?t=250375&page=121

[Lala]

Re polygraphs - in the Molly Bish murder 11 people failed the polygraph. Do you think all 11 murdered her?
The failure rate on polygraphs is said to be 70 percent. Would you go to a doctor who operated successfully on 70 percent of his patients? Would you fly with a pilot who landed his plane 70 percent of the time? Polygraphs mean nothing, sociopaths pass them easily because they don't feel guilty.

[Cy]

At the very minimum I believe the step father molested that poor girl. I would not doubt that when the mother first met this scumbag and they were dating that she mentioned to him that the previous father had molested her daughter. That is all it would take for a p.o.s. like him. These child molesters would be all over her like flys on ---- once they found out that she was a victim. Also I would like to find out what were the questions asked on the polygraph test. If you flat out ask... Did you kill so and so? Then the answer is cut and dry... yes or no. If you ask a question like... Are you responsible for the death of so and so? Then it leaves open the possibility for that person to think that even though I did not kill so and so, that I may still somehow be responsible for her death. I.E. She had a lover that killed her because she would not break it off with Mr. Jones. Or that perhaps they felt that if they had done something differently that day that perhaps she would still be alive. Some people think deeply about such things and it could show up on a polygraph. Plus the fact that they are not completely accurate. I would get DNA somehow, someway from that creepy stepfather.

[lowcountry]

itstheboyfriend;

All I am saying is that guilty or not-guilty, it really doesn't matter now. The guy has been tried for the charge and cannot be tried again no matter what facts come to light. There will not be another trial with the boyfriend EVER!!!!!

[Vic]

Does anyone know if there was life insurance on Nona and who the beneficiary is? Was that ever questioned?

[summer]

This poor beautiful girl.....I hope they find the killer whether it was her boyfriend, step-dad or someone else. Yes, her step-dad was very creepy and her mom well... very off! 48 hours said they did find other DNA???!!! So hopefully they will test it and find out who it belongs to and pursue that avenue. I hope justice is served somehow, there has got to be another suspect other than Kevin Jones.

[summer]

Nona seemed like a very secretive girl??? Why???? Do we know if Kevin was controlling or if he was the great boyfriend he claimed to be??? Why did the parents point to him so quickly??? Too many unanswered questions.

[Our justice system occassionally works...]

itstheboyfriend;

Are you crazy? There was no evidence at all that the boyfriend did it. If all they need is a condom wrapper and a "tacky" palm print to convict someone these days then we are all in BIG trouble! I did see the facts and I'm telling you that that Bacon cop and his fellow cops and the prosecuters are all idiots. They wanted their jobs to be easy and instead of investigating the crime, they went for the easiest suspect they could find. This kind of thing happens all too often. That's why cops need more education and more training. Any hillbilly moron can become a cop in this country. Unfortunately not many people in this country have a good work ethic including police officers. Thank God the jury found him not guilty, but in the process this young man's life was completely ruined.

[Lala]

Suggested reading
http://reason.com/blog/show/124906.html

There is something very wrong in this country when so many people are being found to have been railroaded. DNA evidence is exposing the corrupt police departments all over this country.

[Skeptic]

Dana,
I understood that the Kevin's defense team obtained the DNA match. It also took more than a year to find this DNA match which tells me this was probably not matched to DNA given by donors close to Nona (her other lovers) as I think the match would have been found sooner, so it's also possible that it took so long because the search was being done through a criminal DNA database. The fact that defense had to do the searching means the prosecutors aren't looking for any more evidence because they want to stick with their belief that Kevin did it, and they don't want to make themselves look as inept as they are by taking the new evidence seriously. (very lazy way to investigate if you ask me). Kevin's defense, may have searched the DNA database for a match to use because it helps create doubt because Nona's family are now looking to sue Kevin. The way the prosecution in that locality operates, I would be surprised if they did anything about it in the way of finding a new suspect.

[tammy]

Immediately upon seeing that step dad...his face screamed guilty! I agree with previous comments...why would he want the cell phone so quickly...and why on earth would he erase all the details. That makes no sense. He clearly didnt care for her nor did that smiley- smiley-irritating-as-hell mom! she obviously knows something that she is not letting out! and if the investigators in this case saw 48, they should do something about it quickly. nail that step dad. I hate to stereotype...but psychos always have that look, those ugly ass glasses, just THAT LOOK! And did you see the way he kept on snarling and saying the boyfriend is the killer...yeah right! even a 2 year old could see some guilty actions there! i mean come on! who on earth would erase memories of a loved one so quickly and BEFORE the case is even solved? suspicious! too suspicious. I hope they find the killer and fast!
I personally dont think the boyfriend did it. The police were very clumsy throughout...and they didnt even use any investigatory skills...they just decided to nail the only 'possible' suspect -the boyfriend and completely ignored all other likely potential suspects. AND completely failed to trace calls made on the cell phone plus verify if indeed the boyfriend made all the calls he said to have done. hmmmmm

[Skeptic]

What I cannot believe is that the police didn't look more closely at the stepfather after he took the phone and gleefully erased everything.

[tammy]

exactly skeptic. there are clearly some loopholes. what is this world coming to! the innocent are tried and the guilty come out laughing.
Some digging needs to happen RE: stepfathers history. He makes me uncomfortable. I bet there were some telling texts messages on that phone, however as someone said earlier...all the information can be retrieved from the cell-phone company should the investigators feel there is a need to (they seemed to not to think so earlier on in the investigation).

[Todd]

First it seems that if he truly did kill her, he would have had blood all over his clothes. When he discovered the body he did it with others present. Yes he could have changed I suppose.

Having a police department of Barney Fife mentality did create a lot of problems. Giving the phone back was more than stupid, and I suspect the stepfather erased the information on it because he knew that Nona was having sex with numerous men and did not want that to come out. The stepfather is rather creepy. I always like how parents act like they know so much about their children, yet the mother wasn't even paying enough attention to know that her daughter was molested and then was cutting herself and doing other self destructive things. But when it comes to knowing everything after the murder,, they seem to have known it all.

It seems the police department really bungled this case. If someone used a light fixture to beat someone's head, then there should be fingerprints, unless the person was wearing gloves. If the person tried to clean up the crime scene then it would be evident. I cannot imagine there were no fingerprints in a crime of passion which is what this appears to be.

On the 48 Hours expose they police asked Kevin if he touched the condom wrapper and he said no. Yet one of the detective theorized that he found the condom and touched it. OK then was he so good that he wiped the figerprints off and planted someone else's DNA on the condom wrapper.

It will be interesting to see who they matched the DNA to from the wrapper. I don't know if Kevin did it or not, but I did not get the impression from the 48 Hours piece that he is smart enough to remove all trace evidence.

[Dana]

Ok, i was reading some articles tat someone posted a link to. According to this article crime scene investigatrs stated that the phone WAS haandled by the perpetrator and that the battery was missing and never found. The text messeges were retrieved via sim card and revealed that she had recieved 5-10 text messeges in the days preceeding the murder one of which said "Why are you leading me on?" Before the sim card could be explored futher, and before it could be checked for prints, the phone was taken back by the step-father. Now, are you telling me that the self-proclamed "cheapskate" would go out and buy a new battery for a phone that he planned to use to save money? He had to have bought a new one or found a matching battery for this phone to start erasing messages on her sim card and replacing contacts. He erased all of the messages before they could be examined further. This does not sit well with me, why are the detectives ok with it?

[Ruth]

One question...whose prints did they find on the knife and lamp?

[JefroVa]

This murder has all the traits of a serial killing. The murder was definily not a crime of passion, the crime scene is too clean. The murder was very brutal showing a hatred towards women. Was she murdered naked or with her clothes on then stripped naked? The kid disturbed the body. Was her body left posed with her legs spread? Were any trophy items taken like personal items like her shoes or bra..One other thing she did not use condoms with her bf, did she use condoms period? Were any of her other lovers asked if they used condoms havning sex with her? If she had sex with a lover who used a condom a kitchen is a very unlikely place to find an open condom wrapper.

[Dana]

I disagree, it doesn't look like a serial killing at all, the crime scene wasn't very clean "Bristow said while blood on and pooled under Dirksmeyer's body was still "wet" when police arrived, blood elsewhere at the scene — on Venetian blinds, a countertop, the stove, the light switch and on a candle holder — was dry." There were prints left on the lap post, but the investigators have never said who they were from. The scene was messy and she was blugeoned with what was within reach i.e the lamp, which definately points to a crime of passion. Serial killer usually have an ego too, they seem to like to play cat and mouse with cops and the victims often have a commonality.. and no reported repeat crimes have been reported. It definately seems to be crime of passion from someone that she either knew, or someone that was stalking her and was turned down.

[More Info]

This story was posted yesterday about some leaked information, but has since been taken down. Have a look at the story by following this link. cache:http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=17653

[more infor]

In order to follow the story, put the whole line in a google search including the cache to look at the removed page. Go to google.com, then cut and paste cache:http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=17653 and press go.

[Lala]

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:bo3LTJSGnwgJ:www.couriernews.com/story.php%3FID%3D17653+www.couriernews.com/story.php%3FID%3D17653&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us