A 48-year-old man has confessed to a decades-old murder in Arkansas
A 48-year-old man, currently serving a life sentence for capital murder, has admitted guilt in the 1991 killing of another woman, as announced by the Arkansas State Police on Tuesday.
Sabrina Underwood, aged 19, went missing after her mother dropped her off in Boone County, Arkansas. Underwood had planned to hitchhike to visit her boyfriend, an inmate in prison.
Concern arose when her boyfriend inquired about her absence from the scheduled visit, prompting the filing of a missing person’s report.
Three months later, hunters discovered a bundle of clothing and human remains, later confirmed to be those of Underwood.
The unsolved murder of Underwood saw a breakthrough when an inmate informed Arkansas State Police investigators that Rick Allen Headley had confessed to the crime in a letter written while he was serving a life sentence.
Headley, previously having pleaded guilty to capital murder for fatally stabbing his estranged wife, was incarcerated in a maximum-security unit.
In an interview with investigators, Headley acknowledged writing the letter and provided details about Underwood’s death. He claimed that Underwood had attempted to extort money from him and expressed a hope that no one else had been wrongly arrested for the murder.
In October 2023, Headley faced a first-degree murder charge. This Monday, he entered a guilty plea for the charge and received a 40-year prison sentence.
At the time of Headley’s admission, a spokesperson from the Arkansas State Police mentioned that Underwood’s family was elated that the 32-year-old cold case had finally been resolved.
ASP Colonel Mike Hagar, in a news release announcing Headley’s sentencing, stated, “We remain committed to seeking justice for families like the Underwoods, who continue to endure the pain of Sabrina’s absence. Today, our prayers are for peace for those who cherish the memory and love Sabrina.”