Russellville, Arkansas was a quiet college town that hadn’t seen a murder in nearly a decade. On December 15th, 2005, 19-year-old Nona Dirksmeyer, a beauty queen and music student, was found brutally beaten to death in her apartment. Her boyfriend discovered the body and immediately became the prime suspect. But what followed would expose deep flaws in the investigation and leave a family searching for answers they may never find.
Sources:
The Log Cabin Democrat, 17 December, 2005 – “Arkansas Tech Student Found Dead”
The Courier, 16 December, 2005 – “Russellville P.D.”
The Sentinel Record, 19 June, 2005 – “Miss Arkansas Crown”
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 17 December, 2005 – “Russellville Student”
The Courier, 20 December, 2005 – “Investigation Ongoing”
The Courier, 21 December, 2005 – “Miss Arkansas”
The Courier, 22 December, 2005 – “911 Excerpts”
The Courier, 22 December, 2005 – “Family Members”
Batesville Guard, 22 December, 2005 – “Police Have Suspect”
The Sun, 17 January, 2006 – “File in Ark. Student’s Death”
Batesville Guard, 18 January, 2006 – “Prosecutor Asked to File Charges”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 23 December, 2005 – “Teen’s Slaying not Random”
The Courier, 27 December, 2005 – “Investigation Continues”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 29 Janaury, 2006 – “Past Haunted”
The Courier, 16 March, 2006 – “Dirksmeyer Family Mourns”
The Courier, 30 March, 2006 – “Mother’s Memories”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1 April, 2006 – “Boyfriend Held”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 5 April, 2006 – “Boyfriend Posts Bond”
The Courier, 15 May, 2006 – “Insight into a Murder Case”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 16 May, 2007 – “Lawyers Seeking New Site”
Associated Press, 10 July, 2007 – “Sides Give Opening Statements”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11 JDuly, 2007 – “Romanced”
Associated Press, 12 July, 2007 – “Man who Helped”
The Courier, 12 July, 2007 – “Jones Taped Interviews”
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 13 July, 2007 – “Officer Testifies”
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 17 July, 2007 – “Witnesses Conflict”
Times Record, 18 July, 2007 – “Defence Goes After Police Evidence”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 19 July, 2007 – “Attorneys Wrap Up”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 19 July, 2007 – “Kevin Jones Found not Guilty”
The Courier, 20 August, 2007 – “Duane Dipert”
Associated Press, 19 August, 2008 – “Ark. Tech”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 23 August, 2008 – “Dirksmeyer Neighbor”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 26 August, 2008 – “Dirksmeyer Prosecutor”
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 28 April, 2009 – “Prosecutor Amends”
The Courier, 13 April, 2010 – “Dunn Points to Jones”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 16 April, 2010 – “Receipt Called Pointer”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 20 April, 2010 – “DNA Expert”
Associated Press, 21 April, 2010 – “Boyfriend Testifies”
The Courier, 21 April, 2010 – “Dunn Jury to Weigh DNA”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 22 April, 2010 – “Acquitted Boyfriend”
Associated Press, 24 April, 2010 – “Only Victim’s DNA”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 27 April, 2010 – “Prosecutor Pokes”
Associated Press, 27 April, 2010 – “Suspect”
The Courier, 27 April, 2010 – “State v. Dunn”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 28 April, 2010 – “Estranged Wife”
Associated Press, 30 April, 2010 – “Jurors Questioned”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1 May, 2010 – “Dunn Trial”
Associated Press, 7 June, 2010 – “Ark. Man”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 28 September, 2010 – “Dirksmeyer Killing Copied”
Associated Press, 13 January, 2011 – “Prosecutors Open”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 29 January, 2011 – “Dunn’s Retrial”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2 April, 2011 – “Lawsuit Seeks Materials”
Malvern Daily Record, 27 April, 2011 – “Beauty Queen’s Accused”
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11 September, 2013 – “Man Innocent”
ABC 7, 21 September, 2022 – “A Victim no More”
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 6 December, 2018 – “Police Arrest”
