In June 2007, Anita Knutson, a Minot State University freshman of 18, was discovered stabbed to death in her Minot, North Dakota, apartment. The savage killing, involving several chest and neck stab wounds, stumped police for years because evidence was sparse. Her roommate, Nichole Rice, was arrested in 2022 but acquitted in March 2025, leaving the crime unsolved.
The Dateline NBC episode Murder in Minot aired Friday, May 2, 2025, at 9/8c on NBC and streams on Peacock the next day. Reported by Blayne Alexander, the two-hour special features interviews with Anita’s family, friends, and investigators. Produced by NBC News, it explores the 18-year investigation’s challenges and emotional toll.
Who was Anita Knutson?
Anita Knutson was an 18-year-old freshman at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota when she was murdered in June 2007. Born on September 22, 1988, in Orange County, California, she was adopted at five months old by Gordon and Sharon Knutson. The family lived in Anaheim, California, until Anita’s freshman year of high school, when they moved to Butte, North Dakota. Anita graduated from Velva High School in 2006 and enrolled at Minot State, majoring in elementary education with dreams of becoming a teacher.
She worked part-time at Vanity in Dakota Square Mall and at the Fairfield Inn to earn a living. Cited as being kind and personable, Anita was close to her adoptive parents and siblings, Daniel and Anna, and spoke with her mother every day. She resided in an off-campus apartment at 2420 4th Street NW with roommate Nichole Rice. Though there were tensions with Rice, Anita was renowned for making others feel valued, leaving a lasting legacy in her close-knit community.
How was Anita Knutson murdered?
Anita Knutson’s body was discovered on her bedroom floor, face-up, covered with a blanket. The autopsy, conducted by the North Dakota State Forensic Examiner’s Office, revealed she died from multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck, inflicted by a single-edged blade, likely a pocketknife.
The wounds, numbering at least three deep penetrations, caused severe internal bleeding, with death estimated between 12–24 hours before discovery (June 3 evening to June 4 morning). No defensive wounds were noted, suggesting she may have been caught off-guard. Minor bruising on her arms was inconclusive.
The bedroom showed signs of a struggle—overturned furniture and scattered belongings—but no fingerprints or DNA from an intruder were found. A bloodied pocketknife, recovered near the body, bore Anita’s blood but no usable fingerprints. The broken window screen, cut from the outside, suggested a possible entry point, though the window was locked, and no other forced entry was evident.
The investigation details of Anita Knutson’s case
Forensic analysis focused on the crime scene and limited physical evidence. The pocketknife, a key piece, had a 3-inch blade consistent with Anita’s wounds but lacked DNA or prints linking to a suspect. Blood spatter analysis indicated the attack occurred in the bedroom, with no blood trails elsewhere, ruling out the body being moved. The broken window screen was tested for fibers or DNA, but the results were inconclusive. Police collected Anita’s phone, revealing no suspicious calls or texts, though her last outgoing call was to a friend on June 3 at 8:47 p.m.
Nichole Rice’s alibi—that she was visiting family in Velva, 20 miles away—was partially corroborated but lacked precise timestamps. In 2022, Cold Justice re-interviewed witnesses, uncovering two key testimonies: William May and Kristina Holler claimed Rice confessed to the murder while intoxicated in 2010, though Rice denied this. Digital forensics on Rice’s phone showed threatening texts to Anita, including one saying, “You’ll regret crossing me.”
Was Nichole Rice behind the murder of Anita Knutson case?
Nichole Rice, Anita’s 19-year-old roommate, was the prime suspect in 2022. She was accused by police of her contradictory stories regarding where she was, the toxic relationship with Anita (as described by Sharon Knutson), and the claimed confessions. Rice was charged with Class AA felony murder, for which she could be sentenced to life without parole. The prosecution alleged Rice had a motive—envy over Anita’s social life—and opportunity since she had access to the apartment.
No forensic evidence directly tied Rice to the crime, and her defense highlighted the lack of DNA, fingerprints, or witnesses placing her at the scene. The trial, held in Grand Forks, relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including threatening texts and witness testimonies. Rice maintained her innocence, claiming the confessions were fabricated or misinterpreted. On March 26, 2025, after three hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted Rice, citing insufficient evidence. The courtroom erupted in chaos, with Anita’s family expressing devastation.
Who was convicted for Anita Knutson’s murder?
No one has been convicted of Anita Knutson’s murder. Nichole Rice’s acquittal in March 2025 left the case open, with Minot Police stating they would pursue new leads. The investigation, spanning 18 years, involved over 40 interviews, multiple evidence reviews, and assistance from Cold Justice. The Dateline episode, reported by Blayne Alexander, emphasized the emotional toll on Anita’s family, particularly her mother, Sharon, who testified about Anita’s fear of Rice.
The lack of forensic evidence remains a barrier, and the broken window screen’s significance is debated—possibly a red herring or an untraced entry point. As of May 2025, no new suspects have been named, and the case is classified as active but unsolved.
Where is Nichole Rice now?
Nichole Rice, who was born in 1987, was acquitted on March 26, 2025, of murdering her roommate, Anita Knutson, in Minot, North Dakota, in 2007. Charged with Class AA felony murder in 2022, Rice was tried in Grand Forks County following a 15-year investigation assisted by Cold Justice. The prosecution was based on so-called confessions and conflicting statements, but the defense pointed to the lack of forensic evidence, resulting in her not-guilty verdict after five hours of jury deliberation.
After the acquittal, Rice, visibly shaken, participated with her family in a prayer circle outside the courthouse but refused to comment. As of April 2025, she is assumed to have returned to the Minot area, where she resided at the time of her arrest, and is employed at Minot Air Force Base. Rice, who is married with a young daughter, has kept a low profile, with no public comments or announced plans for civil action. Her whereabouts now are not publicly specified, showing her attention to secrecy after the trial.
The case is still open, as discussed in Dateline’s Murder in Minot episode released on May 2, 2025.
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Hilfa, Senior Writer at Hilvaro, excels in pop culture journalism. She crafts engaging content on movies, TV, & trends, fueled by her love for storytelling & entertainment.
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