Had Christie Dianne Sims not told investigators about a body at a home on Kensington Drive, she would not have been arrested on murder charges Wednesday, authorities said.
Sims, 39, called 911 to report that a man who she confessed she had stabbed days earlier might be deceased in his residence, Little Rock police spokesman Officer Steve Moore said Thursday.
Officers arrived about 3 p.m. Thursday at 9900 Kensington Drive in west Little Rock to find Keith Mathis, 63, dead in his home, according to police reports.
Officers reported that it appeared Mathis had been stabbed at least once, though the number or location of the wounds had not been disclosed as of Thursday afternoon.
Moore said the body was found in a state of decay, and officers reported that the slaying happened around midnight Sunday.
Just 20 minutes before the body was found, investigators said Sims confessed to stabbing Mathis and stealing his property and a silver 2008 Honda Accord. The police report said the weapon Sims used was a knife or other cutting instrument.
911 call leads to arrest in slaying
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Moore said officers do not yet know what prompted Sims to surrender three days after the homicide.
"Had she not made the call, it would have been a family wondering where he was or something later," Moore said. "We didn't have any prior indication."
Officers reported that they did not know what relationship -- if any -- existed between Sims and the victim.
Mathis' car is still missing, Moore said Thursday afternoon, but investigators do not anticipate arresting another person in relation to the crime.
Anyone found driving the car likely would be charged with theft by receiving, but not homicide, Moore said.
Sims was interviewed Wednesday evening and charged with first-degree murder and theft of property, officers reported.
Sims was transported to the Pulaski County jail, where she remained Thursday with her bail set at $1 million.
Metro on 08/03/2018