Jerrie L. Acklin murder of Linda Jo Stingley

Jerrie Lyn Acklin killed her mother, Linda Jo Stingley, after attacking her inside Stingley’s home in Batesville, Arkansas, in June 2014.

Stingley, 65, worked as a nurse at Eagle Mountain Assisted Living Center and was last seen leaving work around 9:00 p.m. on June 2, 2014. When she failed to report for her next shift, coworkers alerted authorities. Deputies conducted a welfare check at her home, where they found her car parked outside but her purse missing. Investigators found no immediate signs of a struggle.

As the investigation continued, law enforcement learned Stingley’s credit cards and personal items had surfaced in Bryant, Arkansas, more than 100 miles from Batesville. Detectives tracked card usage at multiple locations and recovered discarded cards along the route. Surveillance footage showed Acklin using her mother’s financial accounts to purchase gas and withdraw money.

During the early stages of the investigation, authorities struggled to locate Acklin, who had no permanent address. Family members told investigators Acklin had been experiencing instability and had recently stayed with relatives. Investigators also learned Acklin had outstanding felony warrants related to financial crimes involving forged checks.

On June 4, a patrol officer located Acklin’s vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Bryant. Officers arrested her and brought her in for questioning. Acklin initially denied involvement and attempted to blame the killing on a man she was dating. Investigators confronted her with financial records, surveillance footage, and other evidence.

Acklin later admitted to killing her mother. According to investigators, Acklin went to Stingley’s home seeking a place to stay. When her mother refused, an argument escalated into a physical confrontation. Acklin picked up a car jack and struck her mother repeatedly. After the beating, she stabbed Stingley multiple times with a knife, killing her.

Authorities later located Stingley’s badly decomposed remains in a wooded area near Malvern, Arkansas, where Acklin had disposed of the body.

Prosecutors charged Acklin with first-degree murder, as well as burglary and theft-related offenses tied to her actions after the killing.

In May 2015, Acklin entered a negotiated guilty plea. The court sentenced her to 56 years in prison.

Acklin entered the Arkansas prison system on May 5, 2015, and is currently housed at the McPherson Unit in Newport. Her earliest projected release date is March 14, 2040.