Taylor Elise Barksdale

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Madison County Sheriffs Department (AR)

Offense Location:

Huntsville, Arkansas

Summary:

Taylor Elise Barksdale was a 30-year-old woman from Huntsville, Arkansas, and mother of two. She died in a homicide on August 5, 2024, during an incident in Kingston, Madison County, though her remains were not discovered until September 9, 2024, hidden in a hay bale in a dried-up creek bed. Her case remains unsolved with no arrests made.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

On August 5, 2024, at approximately 12:34 AM, a 911 call was made from a rural property in Kingston, Madison County, by a woman who reported hearing screams from a woman in the woods behind her house, describing sounds consistent with someone being raped or tortured. The caller waited for law enforcement to respond, but no deputy attended the scene. Later that morning, when Deputy Blake Hassell was questioned by his supervisor Sergeant Drew Scott about why he didn't respond to the call, he claimed he had been in the area 30 minutes to an hour earlier. Taylor's body was not found until September 9, 2024, when searchers broke open a hay bale and discovered remains on a rural property in the Kingston area of Madison County. The remains were later identified as Taylor's.

Additional Details:

On September 5, 2024, a parole and probation officer reported Taylor missing, having been made aware that she hadn't been seen in approximately a month or two. The Arkansas Crime Lab analyzed the remains to determine cause and time of death. The case has been treated as a homicide from the beginning. As of recent reports, the investigation remains open with no arrests or charges filed. Taylor had been struggling with drug addiction in the months before her death. According to sources, around July 20, 2024, she had an argument with an ex-boyfriend named Kenny and left his residence. After that date, she was staying on and off with various friends, including mutual friends of hers and Kenny's. Taylor had previously worked at Little Rock Airport approximately ten years before her death. The Madison County Sheriff's Office has completed 12 search warrants and six subpoena requests, forensically imaged 14 devices, and dedicated over 1,000 hours to investigating the case. The family retained attorney Sammi Wilmoth to explore possible legal actions related to incidents surrounding her death, including the failure to respond to the 911 call. Former Deputy Blake Hassell's conduct in the case led to proceedings questioning his law enforcement certification, with details about the 911 call response becoming a focal point of investigation.

Case Last Updated:

Oct 01, 2026