Dateline: Murder in Minot - 5 harrowing details about the Anita Knutson murder case, revisited ahead of the latest true crime episode

Anita Knutson's murder case has been a subject of debate across the country for several years. NBC Dateline’s episode titled Murder in Minot brings forth the disturbing details of the murder of the 18-year-old college student. On June 4, 2007, in Minot, North Dakota, Anita was found dead in her apartment with multiple stab wounds. Her roommate, Nichole Rice, was arrested after extensive investigation. The Grand Forks County jury, however, found Nichole not guilty, and she was acquitted of all charges in March 2025.

Anita’s case is revisited in a special Dateline episode with correspondent Blayne Alexander, on May 2, 2025. The episode will feature interviews with Anita’s family and friends as well as the investigators on the case.

5 harrowing details about the Anita Knutson murder case

1) Anita Knutson’s apartment was intact

Anita was a freshman at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota. She was studying to become a teacher. She shared an apartment off-campus with Nichole Rice.

On June 4, 2007, when her family could not reach her, her father visited her apartment to check on her. Gordon Knutson found his daughter murdered with multiple stab wounds. The bloody knife used to stab her was left in the sink. Nichole was not in the apartment, as she had gone home for the weekend.

The crime scene showed no signs of forced entry, and all her valuables were untouched. As per NBC News, her front door was locked. However, a slashed screen from the bedroom window was found lying on the ground. The investigators suspected that someone known to Anita would have committed the murder, as the killer had easy access to the house.

2) For 15 years, the investigators found no evidence

For years, the police interviewed and investigated workers at the apartment complex and Anita’s college friends. More than 40 people were interrogated in the case. There were several suspects, but they could not find any concrete evidence or a prime suspect. Every lead that they received ran cold eventually.

As per Grand Forks Herald, Lt. Jason Sundbakken of Minot Police Department said:

"It's just a tough situation all the way around. We'd love to be able to pin that thing down. Anything anybody knows about it, even if you don't think it is important, we'll be glad to take the information. It might be a little piece we are missing. Absolutely, give us a call. One phone call might help us."

3) Anita and Nichole had a strained relationship

The authorities re-evaluated the statements and evidences over the years. They found many gaps in Nichole’s testimonials. As per the investigations in Cold Justice, Nichole and Anita exchanged several texts messages of a heated tone. It was obvious that that they had a strained relationship. However, Nichole had claimed in the 2007 interview that all was fine between the two roommates.

During the trial, Anita’s adoptive mother, Sharon Knutson also shared that Anita was fearful of Nichole. As per Court TV, she said that the two roommates had different set of friends and did not have a harmonious relationship.

4) Nichole allegedly confessed to the crime but denied later

As per Oxygen, Nichole’s former boyfriend, William May shared that she confessed to the crime while she was intoxicated at a house party in 2008. When she was sober later, Nichole denied it. As per KFYR TV, he said:

“The comment was that, from Nichole Rice, it was that she had did it, that she had killed Anita.”

Kristina Holler, Nichole’s friend, said that she owned up the crime to her. At the trial, Kristina shared that Nichole confessed to her that she had stabbed Anita after they fought about an alarm clock. Nichole had even described the white robe Anita was wearing when she allegedly murdered her.

5) Nicole is acquitted

Anita’s murder case had received considerable media coverage across the country. The trial was moved to Grand Forks County in January 2025. The prosecutors argued that Nichole and Anita had a tense relationship and often got into arguments. As per Nichole’s defense team, she was at her parents’ farmhouse on the day Anita was murdered.

On March 26, 2025, Nichole was found not guilty of the murder by the jury.

ALSO READ: Dateline: A Walk Through The Woods - What happened to Liberty German and Abigail Williams? Details of the 2017 murders, explored

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