Rick Allen Headley, charged with the stabbing death of his estranged wife, threatening to stab a staff member of the Baxter County jail, having contraband in the jail, and with violating a protective order taken out by his wife prior to her death was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Baxter County Circuit Court Tuesday.
He pled guilty to a number of charges, including capital murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, violation of a protective order, terroristic threatening, criminal use of a prohibited weapon and possessing contraband items in the Baxter County Detention Center.
A large crowd filled the courtroom, many wearing purple shirts to honor the victim.
Circuit Judge John Putman presided at the sentencing. The judge went through a long list of questions regarding the sentence the 44-year-old Headley was to receive. The defendant, dressed in the uniform worn by Baxter County jail inmates, answered each question in a quiet voice. He had to be prompted by Judge Putman at one point to speak up so the court reporter could hear him.
Judge Putman asked 14th Judicial District Prosecutor David Ethredge if the family of the victim was satisfied with the recommended sentence of life without parole, and Ethredge said they were. Ethredge also told the judge the state could prove the case if it had gone to trial.
Rick Headley is reported to have come to Kirstie Headley’s place of employment, the Dollar General Store on State Highway 5 South, about 10 p.m., March 13 last year, despite the fact he had been ordered to stay away.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Rick Headley grabbed his estranged wife by the shirt and dragged her outside the store. Video surveillance cameras show him with a knife in his right hand. Witnesses told investigators they saw Rick Headley stab his estranged wife several times.
The cameras at the store also captured scenes of Kirstie Headley walking back into the building holding her chest. She was reportedly covered with blood. Emergency medical personnel arrived and transported her to Baxter Regional Medical Center where she died a short time later.
Rick Headley, who fled the scene of the stabbing and was captured a few hours later, was booked into the Baxter County Detention Center about 2 in the morning on March 14. He is alleged to have told officers he went to his estranged wife’s place of employment with the specific intent of killing her.
Kirstie Headley had taken out a protective order to keep her estranged husband away from her. In her affidavit, she mentions being threatened with a knife. She said Rick Headley had actually stabbed her in the hip on another occasion.
She claimed her husband had become more obsessive and controlling during the relationship.
According to court records, the protective order was served on Rick Headley in mid-February last year. He was prohibited from having contact with Kirstie Headley and the couple’s minor child. Rick Headley is accused of violating the order on numerous occasions by way of text messages. At the time, Kirstie Headley said she was living in fear of her estranged husband and unable to even stay in her own residence.
She further said Rick Headley was constantly watching her and showing up at her place of employment.
Rick Headley committed the ultimate violation of the protective order when he murdered his estranged wife about a month after the order was served on him.
The couple’s minor child is now in the care of guardians.
Rick Headley was also charged with making threats to stab a member of the Baxter County jail staff in early June last year. Two inmates reported the accused murderer had said he intended to kill a specific jailer, if the opportunity presented itself. Three homemade knives, one with a makeshift handle, were found during a search of Headley’s cell.
Two of the weapons were located on the bottom side of the top bunk in the cell, the third was hidden in the foam mat assigned to Rick Headley.
According to the probable cause affidavit in the jailer threat case, Rick Headley was not allowed outside the confines of the jail because of the serious nature of the charges against him. He had been told he could take part in work details in the secured recreation yard of the detention center.
Rick Headley apparently blamed the jailer he threatened for not allowing him to take part in recreation yard work details. The formal charges related to those threats were filed Aug. 1, 2018.
Prior to the sentencing, one of Rick Headley’s lawyers was asked if a viable defense could be presented to a jury on the defendant’s behalf, and he replied it was not possible.
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