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Nona Dirksmeyer murder arrest


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Dirksmeyer was murdered in 2005 in Russellville
Dirksmeyer was murdered in 2005 in Russellville
Updated: 8/23/2008 7:46 pm Published: 8/22/2008 5:17 pm
A new arrest in the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. Pope County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Gary Dunn at just after four Friday afternoon.

He faces a capital murder charge in the beauty queen's death. Dunn lives in Dover.

Dirksmeyer was an Arkansas Tech student when she was found dead in her apartment in 2005.

Her boyfriend Kevin Jones was charged with her murder but a jury found him not guilty back in July 2007.

A special prosecutor reopened the case back in February of this year.

Dirksmeyer Timeline

December 15th 2005
Dirksmeyer was found dead in her Russellville apartment. Someone had beaten her and slashed her throat. Her boyfriend Kevin Jones his mother and a friend discovered Dirksmeyers body and called 911.

March 31st 2006
107 days after Nona's death prosecutors charged boyfriend, Kevin Jones with first degree murder.

July 9th 2007 
Jones went to trial and the jury found him not guilty. As the not guilty verdict came in Kevin Jones rejoiced with family members and friends inside the courtroom. Outside he thanked the jury and commented briefly on his year as a murder suspect.

Jones' attorney Bill Bristow said he believed his client got a fair trial that the judge allowed in evidence relevant to the case and kept out evidence that was not. But he went on to say that the prosecution failed to follow up on evidence like DNA found on a condom wrapper and a finger nail found at the scene that didn't match jones.

“Today justice was done for Kevin Jones. Justice needs to be done for Nona Dirksmeyer and her family. I call for the Pope County sheriff's department, for the state police to locate the real killer of Nona Dirksmeyer," Bristow said.

While Nona Dirksmeyer's family was relieved the trial was over they still believed Jones got away with murder.

Although a jury acquitted Jones this case continues to affect his life Arkansas Tech denied him admission for the fall semester. According to Jones, the school said it rejected his application because he didn't send the proper transcripts and that there were safety concerns about having him on campus.

August 22 2008
Gary Dunn was arrested Friday afternoon in Conway County for the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. He is being held without bond in the Pope county jail. He's expected to make a court appearance next week.
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waterhead - 3/7/2011 1:16 AM
ok guys where was jennifer dunn nobody seems to look at her from what i read she whitness gary coming out of nonas place 2 weeks before the murder i think jennifer found the used condom wrapper and knew it was not from her and gary and took it down to nonas to question her about it she didnt like what she found out she laid the wrapped on the counter and her and nona got into a fight and it resulted in the death of nona gary knows this but jen is the mother of their children and without evidence to convict gary he will get off again he is not going to turn in the mother of his children the reason the cant blame these guys is because a woman killed her

glammie4 - 9/21/2008 2:12 PM
I saw this on 48 Hour Mystery last night and was appalled at the police once again bullying people. If it was my daughter I would want REAL JUSTICE. The parents evidently never had a problem with the boyfriend, but were willing to throw him to the wolves on what evidence???The stepfather taking his DEAD DAUGHTERS CELL PHONE TO SAVE MONEY WAS GHOULISH.There is definitly something off with this girls parents.To me there was NO EVIDENCE the boyfriend did it at all.People no longer trust the police, myself included.That's sad coming from a cop's daughter.Now I question who they have in custody they did such a poor job from the beginning and they are NEVER willing to say, we were wrong, we made a mistake, even when they KNOW the person is innocent. That is disgusting. I think the cop who kept yelling in his face should go to jail for a year for that. Bottom line, even when innocent GET A LAWYER!!Who cares what it looks like, cops aren't interested in justice (prosecutor's either)they are interested in #'s. Now if this guy confesses and without a doubt it is him will they issue and apology? NO, they won't and that is wrong.What also struck me is that now that they do have a another suspect in custody why the parents didn't want to comment?I would, and give a heartfelt apology to the young man almost railroaded into a life in prison term. Don't they want the real killer brought to justice?? Maybe now they just don't trust the police.I wouldn't.As another poster said they rushed to judgement...all of them, the parents, cops, DA and now this poor guy (if he is not the killer.They will look like fools in court because they stated emphatically they KNEW KEVIN JONES was the killer. A good defense lawyer will rip them to shreds and this girl will not get justice.The police and the prosecutors really have to get themselves together all over this country.They are not the good guys any longer.

CHRISTINE123 - 8/27/2008 4:00 PM
First off my brother was murdered in Pope County a little over a month before Nona . They said they expected something wasn't right. Once the autopsy came back and drugs were found his system . Nothing was done . What gets me is this isnt the only case that evidence was gathered correctly . My brothers wasn't gathered at all there were people in his case that weren't even talked to and from what I gather there is alot of cases in Pope County that this has been the case in . Now that evidence has been trashed 3 years later they are trying to pin this on someone they cleared to begin with . Someone could have easily put the wrapper at the scene in all reality there are truly so many things that could have happened . I don not feel this is enough evidence to pin a murder on someone . There has been many innocent people sent to prison for something they didn't do . So I wish Nona family the best of luck finding thier daughters murderer . I do not feel that Gary Dunn is gonna be treated fairly . They have tried so hard to pin this on anyone from the start . And just because someone has a history of crimes does not mean they killed someone . They have let people go that they know that killed and trying so hard to find a someone to take the blame for this. My brother was not a beauty queen but still, he had a family that loved him . I feel like the old saying is true about money . Because we didnt and still dont have alot so we my family and justice for Quenton Riley has been put on the back burner . So as for as the justice system in pope county cant seem to do its job correctly . They have let murders walk .and seems to me a innocent man may be locked away . I know if this doent personnaly involve you or your family it might not mean nothing for you to take notice . But it is sure on all the people involved that has not been treated fair . So people of pope county do a little research on this matter and others .Remember election time for all of the people and victims .

CHRISTINE123 - 8/27/2008 3:52 PM
First off my brother was murdered in Pope County a little over a month before Nona . They said they expected something wasn't right. Once the autopsy came back and drugs were found his system . Nothing was done . What gets me is this isnt the only case that evidence was gathered correctly . My brothers wasn't gathered at all there were people in his case that weren't even talked to and from what I gather there is alot of cases in Pope County that this has been the case in . Now that evidence has been trashed 3 years later they are trying to pin this on someone they cleared to begin with . Someone could have easily put the wrapper at the scene in all reality there are truly so many things that could have happened . I don not feel this is enough evidence to pin a murder on someone . There has been many innocent people sent to prison for something they didn't do . So I wish Nona family the best of luck finding thier daughters murderer . I do not feel that Gary Dunn is gonna be treated fairly . They have tried so hard to pin this on anyone from the start . And just because someone has a history of crimes does not mean they killed someone . They have let people go that they know that killed and trying so hard to find a someone to take the blame for this. My brother was not a beauty queen but still, he had a family that loved him . I feel like the old saying is true about money . Because we didnt and still dont have alot so we my family and justice for Quenton Riley has been put on the back burner . So as for as the justice system in pope county cant seem to do its job correctly . They have let murders walk .and seems to me a innocent man may be locked away . I know if this doent personnaly

lala58 - 8/24/2008 2:53 PM
Also just so you no gary was out on parole yes,he lived at the same apartment complex yes,they only questioned him because of those reasons and because he was a felon so they had to do a grid lock of a 15 mile radius..Police say so themselves. He was cleared back in 2005 when this started,his DNA has been on file along with fingerprints,because of his 2003 conviction..so why was his dna not ran when she was killed. Now you know how they got his DNA to begin with. His DNA wasnt found 3 times in her apartment,the fingernail has not been tested yet..Gary passed a lie detector test on this case in 05 and kevin jones failed miserably according to cheif Bacon of RSPD in 05. It was not the police that ran garys dna it was kevins attorneys,WHY when they found out it wasn't kevins dna did they not hand it back over to the prosecutor.

lala58 - 8/24/2008 2:24 PM
This case has taking another wrong turn. They arrested another man that was ruled out already in this case in 2005. They have now arrested Gary Dunn and I no this poor guy. He has been in a little trouble and I think that is the reason they went after him. He lived in the same apartments but that doesnt mean he new her. Now they have came up with DNA come on they had it then. Why didnt they use it to rule out this Kevin Jones. Thats right they wanted to pin it on someone and they went for his throat. Now there tryin to say Gary Dunn is the one that done it well I have to disagree with that. I am sure that DNA has had plenty of time to get contaminated due to everything in that case being mishandled. There just anxious to put someone away for murder. IF anyone new gary they would no this is not a case for him he is a good guy that got into some trouble and thats it.

CarlC - 8/23/2008 6:33 PM
Because this is the second person they have arrested on this case, based on their evidence I am going to refrain from an actual decision...

Monroe - 8/23/2008 5:35 PM
I hope that Mr. Jones checks carefully into the way he was done wrong, from start to finish, and brings a lawsuit against the ones responsible for it. He was found innocent, was innocent to start with, then still could not get into college because of it. I think that if he had been an illegal alien, with sorts of previous criminal records, the college would have glady excepted him and probably even paid his tuition.

Shelly Dawn - 8/23/2008 10:05 AM
It is about time they found the right one. I knew my little girls library teacher's son was not guilty all along. I believe they should repay his family for all they lost.

jleemar29 - 8/22/2008 10:05 PM
So basically what their saying is that they ruined a young mans life and rushed to judgment.The family of the young girl that was murdered was duped into believing that they had the right man,and they held animosity toward the wrong person.The college he was denied owes him an apology and reinstatement to the school on the states tab because of their lack of doing their J.O.B.
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