Grandmother of David Houston, suspect in missing woman case, speaks

A tip led Arkansas authorities to the body of Laramie Cline, an Ozark woman who had been reported missing.

A man has been detained in connection to her murder.

"I need information why this happened."

Judith King says she is still in shock.

"You don't expect the cops at 1:30."

Her grandson David Houstonn was arrested Sunday, August 20th, in connection with Cline's death.

The body of 23-year-old Cline was found in Lake Pickthorn just north of Jacksonville, Arkansas.

"I feel so bad for that girl's family. I really do."

King says her grandson met Cline while living in Orange Beach, Alabama, where working at a restaurant.

She says Houston moved there about a year ago after he went AWOL from the army and was dishonorably discharged.

Despite a troubled past, she believed he had been on the up and up.

"I said I don't know what happened in Alabama, but I'm glad it did because he was such a changed person."

King spoke with her grandson after his arrest.

"And he kept saying grandma just so sorry grandma I just didn't mean for this to happen."

He told her Cline wanted to go to Colorado to start a new life.

He offered to drive her there in her car but claims when they got to Denver earlier this month things went south.

Houston then told his grandmother Cline pulled a gun on him and he acted in self defense.

"I think ok that maybe he just got out of the military. Maybe something clicking in his head from the military training. I don't know."

On August 11th King says Houston came to visit and stay with her in Jacksonville.

He seemed calm and pleasant, like nothing was wrong.

"As it went on and the police kept coming back here I just had you know a bad feeling."

"He actually did all of this and everything that's not the grandson I know."

In a statement on AL.com, Lamarie Cline's mother, Kimberly Cline said "For someone to take her away is just senseless. She had so much to give and offer. She was so young. For her to be gone like this just doesn't make sense. She was such a good person."