Former Arkansas State Senator Linda Collins-Smith, a conservative is found dead from a gunshot wound and wrapped in a blanket inside her home

The decomposing body of Linda Collins-Smith, 57, was discovered in her home in Pocohontas on  Tuesday 

Police are investigating the politician’s death as a homicide – Neighbors said they heard gunshots a day or two before Collins-Smith was found

Sources said her body had decomposed state of the remains made it difficult to identify

Collins-Smith who was first elected to public office as a Democrat before switching to the GOP, was married to former Circuit Court Judge Philip Smith but divorced in 2018

As a state senator, Collins-Smith introduced or co-sponsored multiple bills seeking to expand the places where concealed weapons could be carried

She sponsored the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act, that would have forced transgender people to only use the bathroom that corresponded to the sex listed at birth

Collins-Smith was also  the owner, operator of Days Inn and Suites in Pocohontas

Gun rights advocate and former Arkansas Republican State Sen, Linda Collins-Smith [photo], was found shot dead in her home, on Tuesday. Her death is being investigated as a murder

Former Arkansas State Sen Linda Collins-Smith, a conservative Republican and a staunch supporter of gun rights, has been found shot dead in her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles outside Little Rock.
Her former staffer, Ken Yang, confirmed the Collins-Smith’s death on Tuesday night adding that it is being investigated as a murder.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Department and Arkansas State Police have since launched a homicide investigation into the 57-year-old conservative politician’s death, while reassuring the public that they were not in danger.

Collins-Smith’s neighbors allegedly heard gunshots a day or two before her body was discovered around 7.15pm on Tuesday.

The body was found wrapped in a blanket, according to Arkansas Times.
Sources claimed that Collins-Smith’s body had started to decompose, which made it difficult to identify.
Collins-Smith who served a single term in the Arkansas House of Representatives, initially was elected as a Democrat but switched parties to join the GOP, eight months after taking office in 2011.
In 2014, she ran for the State Senate as an ultra-conservative Republican. Three years later, Collins-Smith introduced the Arkansas Physical Privacy and Safety Act, a ‘bathroom bill’ that would have forced transgender people to only use the bathroom that corresponded to the sex listed at birth.

Collins-Smith’s neighbors heard gunshots a day or two before her body was discovered around 7.15pm on Tuesday. Her body was found wrapped in a blanket

In the bio on her website, and her Facebook page, Collin-Smith described herself as a ‘Conservative’ and listed some of the issues she considered most important to her: ‘God, Family, Veterans, Guns, Patriot & Country.’
As a State Senator, Collins-Smith introduced or co-sponsored multiple bills seeking to expand the places where concealed weapons could be carried, including college and university campuses, the state Capitol, other state offices and courtrooms.
She was once quoted as telling the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: ‘You can’t be pro-gun enough in Arkansas.’
She had an 87 percent rating from the National rifle Association for her positions on gun rights.

An avid Twitter user, she regularly shared news items supportive of President Donald Trump and conservative causes.
Her final tweet, posted on May 27, promoted the June 3 Arkansas Country Music Festival.
She is survived by her two adult children, a son and a daughter, and three grandchildren.
Collins-Smith was defeated for re-election in 2018 by Republican James Sturch, who eulogized his former rival on Twitter.
‘Macy and I were sorry to hear the news of Senator Linda Collins passing,’ he said. ‘While Senator Collins and I didn’t always agree, there is no doubt she was a passionate advocate for what she believed. I ask all of Senate District 19 to join me in praying for her family during this time.’

Collins-Smith was married to former Circuit Court Judge Philip Smith. The couple divorced in 2018.
She was also the owner of Days Inn and Suites in Pocohontas.
Tributes poured in for Collins-Smith on social media as news broke on Tuesday, with Arkansas Lt Gov Tim Griffin saying he was ‘in shock’.

Tributes from both parties poured in for the GOP politician on Tuesday night after news broke