Anita Knutson (my friend's sister)

MSU student murdered

By DAN FELDNER, Staff Writer dfeldner@minotdailynews.com




Dan Feldner/MDN

Lt. Dan Strandberg of the Minot Police Department answers a question at a press conference held in the City Council Chambers of Minot City Hall Tuesday afternoon concerning the murder of Anita Knutson, an 18-year-old Minot State University student found dead in her apartment early Monday evening.

A Minot woman was found murdered early Monday evening and Minot police are asking anyone with information to step forward and help solve the case.

The victim, Anita Knutson, 18, was found dead in her bedroom at 2420-4th St. NW, Apt. 5. Knutson’s body was found by her father and the landlady of the apartment. The incident was reported to the Minot Police Department at 5:12 p.m. According to Lt. Dan Strandberg of the Minot P.D., police believe the murder took place sometime Sunday. Knutson was originally from the Butte area, graduated from Velva High School in 2006, and was currently a student at Minot State University.

“It appears at this time that her death was caused by an unknown intruder who broke into her residence,” Strandberg said.

Strandberg said the cause of death is pending autopsy results, and the method of the intruder’s entry into the apartment is still under investigation. Strandberg wouldn’t comment on whether a murder weapon was found at the scene, but said it was fairly obvious that a homicide had taken place.

The relationship the intruder had with Knutson has not been determined. When asked about this topic, Strandberg said that not knowing what relationship the intruder had with Knutson, if any, was unsettling.

“In my experience, the victim and the suspects have always had a close relationship. However, in this case we’re not able to ascertain any of that,” he said. “And it is a little unsettling, yes.”

A neighborhood canvas by police hasn’t yielded any additional information, but Strandberg said not all of the neighbors or relatives of Knutson have been contacted yet. Knutson had lost contact with her family sometime over the weekend, and that was why her father had gone to her apartment on Monday to check up on her, according to Strandberg.

Anyone who had contact with Knutson over the weekend, or who has information regarding this incident is requested to call Minot police at 852-0111.

Murder Investigation Continues
Jun 6 2007 7:45PM
KXMCTV Minot

Who killed Anita Knutson?

That's a question many people are asking today - and it's left to investigators to find an answer.

Minot Police report no arrests in the death of the 18-year old college student.

But there is one nugget of information they're hoping may result in some new leads.

Detective Dan Strandberg says a neighbor reported seeing someone running north on 4th Street from the area of Knutson's apartment about 7:30 Sunday morning...

(Lt. Dan Strandberg, Minot Police Detective) "She saw this male, it was early Sunday morning, he was wearing a white t-shirt and either black or Navy blue shorts, male about 6'2", 200 pounds, dark hair, she said somewhat longer than mine so I guess it would be shorter hair, and that he didn't appear to be someone out for a morning jog or a morning run, that it appeared he was running away from something."


Strandberg says that sighting was after the last time police have been able to prove Knutson had contact with anyone.

He says investigators are conducting interviews over a wide area around the northwest Minot apartment where Kuntson's body was discovered Monday afternoon.

Strandberg says they're looking for the kind of information that can't be gathered at a crime scene...

(Lt. Dan Strandberg, Minot Police) "The physical evidence is important but it's really nothing without good old fashioned police work, face-to-face talking and finding out information."


If you have any information - whether it's about the man seen running in the area of Knutson's apartment Sunday morning, or anything else - you're asked to contact the Minot Police Department at 852-0111.

An autopsy was performed on Knutson's body today in Bismarck. Strandberg says when preliminary results from the autopsy are in, police will reveal how Knutson was killed.

Funeral services for Anita Knutson will be Monday at 1pm at the Oak Valley Lutheran Church in Velva.

Anita Knutson's Big Brother
Posted By Chris O'Riley Posted On: Jun 6 2007 6:48PM I'm Anita's big brother Chris. I just found out about this today. I wanted to thank all of you who said nice things about Anita here, and to thank you all for being her friends, before and now. I'm sure she's smiling. I hope that whomever decided that doing this wold be a good idea gets to meet me one day face to face, and gets to think about exactly what he/she did, and how they're going to spend the rest of their life due to their decision. All I know is that I miss my little sister, and wish that I could have been there for her like I always tried to be. Nobody deserved anything like this, least of all her. If anyone knows anything, somebody she argued with, somebody she stood up, a date that didn't go well, please go forward with the information. Anita's killer is still out there apparently, and needs to be put away where they can't continue doing what they've started. Thanks. Kiddo, I love you. Rest in Peace, and keep smiling!
Posted By melessiac Posted On: Jun 6 2007 10:28PM To Chris: your friends are with you, we love you and are keeping you close. To anyone who might know: Please come forward and help catch whom ever to responsible. To Anita: Too lovely a person has been taken from us to soon, your brother spoke of you with love and joy. May angels carry you home.
Posted By Tammy Posted On: Jun 6 2007 11:14PM I did not know Anita. ( I work with her aunt.) I could tell that she is loved dearly by her family and friends. God has a new angelAnita. My prayers are with Anita and her family. May all of you find peace.

From: Anita; Rest In Peace>
Date: Jun 6, 2007 7:11 PM


Chris is have a really hard time with all of this. I hope everyone understands how hard this is for him.

I honestly dont know if I have enough love in my to comfort the hurt, pain and confusion in his heart right now.... EVERYONE, PLEASE SEND AS MUCH LOVE AS YOU CAN TO CHRIS!

If you can call him then please do! If not, call me!

Please send him things. just let him know how much he means to you and how you are there for him. Please ... please... please...

I can only do so much for him...

It would mean so much to him as well as me....

I just ask that everyone send him a comment on his myspace or a text on his phone or a call or something. It can be as simple as a few words of encouragement. Just please let him know that you all care..


Also if you can speard the word accross Myspace so we can catch the person who did this to her, we need to know who they are.

If any one every finds any infromation through MySpace or the news or soemthing please contact the Minot North Decoda police department ASAP!!!


If you want to forward on the bulliton around MySpace to get the word out there along with the website with the news articles... please do... and link back to Chris or my Myspace.... Or evern Anitas which is


http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=3663324

Hopefully this will let people know that thei is fucking REAL! Here agin is the news articles...

http://www.kxnet.com/t/anita-knutson

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O'Riley
Date: Jun 6, 2007 6:40 PM


I don't know if any of her friends can see this, but if you can, please go to the police if you know of any suspects who may have done this.

I got a call today that my little sister was murdered this weekend. She was killed in her apartment, those are the only details I know. She's 18, and ... I guess I don't have words to describe how I feel.

If anyone knows anything, please contact the Minot police department in North Dakota. I would very much like for the bastard that did this to be caught, and rot in jail, and then hell.

I miss my little sister, and although it will not bring her back, I want the person who did this.

Thanks if you can help.
-Chris O'Riley
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Anita; Rest In Peace
Date: Jun 6, 2007 7:02 PM


My Boyfriend Chris came home about 30 minutes early from work with a very somber look on his face. He sat me down beside him and took my hand in his... I had through he was fired. He then began to tell me through very thick sobbing that his little sister Anita was murdered this weekend...

My jaw droped and my heart broke when he started the sob uncontrolably. I personaly knew Anita when she was 9 years old..... She was 18 now.

Chris adn I do not have enough money to get him a plane ticket to go to her funeral this monday... the only pirce that we can find for the trip from Austin Texas to Minot North Decoda will be about $1,100 and up. Even for a burevement flight.

The news articles are not providing any infromation other than she was killed (they believe) Early Sunday morning about 7:00 am. Nothing on how or why she was killed. To make matters worse, her father was the one who had found her because she had not returned her calls so he came into town to find her.

The news articles that I have found are everywhere... the best link with the most news is as follows...

http://www.kxnet.com/t/anita-knutson

Please if you can, send some love to the family and to Chris.... We are BOTH devistated.

To Anita:

I never really got to know you but the time I did was great. I know chris loved you deeply and you were is favorite little sister. We had offered to have you come down and live with us if you wanted to but you always politely declinded.

You are such a beautiful lady and I wish that we could have gotten to know one another better for we are only a year different in age. Every time you spoke with chris on the phone his whole day would turn around. I just hope that you know that and that you are in a much better place.

The person who did this to you will never get away. They will have the utmost horrible tourtur and torment in their soul for the rest of their live. I pray that you rest in peace and are able to look down on all of us with a smiling face and your beautiful laugh. Please be well, Anita.

Cassidy
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O'Riley
Date: Jun 6, 2007 7:04 PM


Here are the news articles, the second one has a description of someone who may have been a suspect.
(Description: Police said a witness reported seeing a man running from the area Sunday morning. He is described as about 6 feet 2 inches tall, with dark hair, weighing about 200 pounds and wearing a white T-shirt and dark shorts.)

http://www.minotdailynews.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=11668

and

http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=130227

Again. If you hear of any information, please contact authorities, or if you're too nervous, give ME the info, and I'll go to them and leave your name out of it. I just want answers. thanks
-Chris O'Riley

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This residence at 2420-4th St. NW in Minot is where 18-year-old Anita Knutson was found dead Monday morning, the apparent victim of a homicide.

NO ARRESTS MADE IN MURDER OF ANITA KNUTSON

By DAVE CALDWELL, Staff Writer dcaldwell@minotdailynews.com


Dave Caldwell/MDN

No arrests have been made in the murder of an 18-year-old woman in northwest Minot, but police say they have received a tip they hope will assist in the investigation.

Lt. Dan Strandberg of the Minot Police Department said Wednesday afternoon that police had been approached by a woman who said she saw a man running up Fourth Street Northwest, away from the victim’s residence, around 7:30 a.m. Sunday. That was the morning when police believe Anita Knutson, a Minot State University student, was killed by an unknown assailant in her apartment at 2420-4th St. NW, No. 5. Knutson’s body was discovered Monday afternoon by her father, who came to check up on her after family had lost touch with her over the weekend.

“She said that she saw a male in his early 20s with dark hair, a white t-shirt and dark blue or black shorts,” Strandberg said. He added that the man almost certainly wasn’t someone out for a morning jog.

“He apparently drew her attention because she heard him coming, and she took enough notice of him that she made sure her child was safe,” Strandberg said. “She also commented to a friend who was with her about the situation.”

Strandberg said the department is using the new information as part of its continuing canvass of the area, and encouraged anyone else who may have seen something suspicious to come forward and contact police at 852-0111.

Neighbors said Knutson was a quiet person whom they didn’t see or hear much of.

Jaime Gutierrez, an airman stationed at Minot Air Force Base, lives directly across the courtyard. He said he did not know Knutson, but saw her regularly coming and going from her door to the parking lot to the east. To the best of his knowledge, he said, she didn’t make a lot of noise or cause trouble for her neighbors.

“She would always be coming from school,” he said. “At least it appeared she was coming from school — she always had a backpack on.”

The incident has affected residents who live in the area, who say they are more cautious now with a killer possibly in their midst.

Gutierrez said he is now making sure his doors are locked because he’s more nervous around the neighborhood.

“Yeah, it definitely makes you nervous,” he said. “Actually, it’s kind of scary just to know it happened right across the street.”

“I’m kind of half-careful, but we’ve always been careful,” said Arnold Semchenko, who lives about two blocks from the scene of the homicide. Semchenko said he has lived in the area for more than 40 years and he wouldn’t be surprised if clues are difficult to come by, since the neighborhood has become more active with nighttime activities in recent years.

“There’s a lot of kids walking around these apartments during the evening,” he said. “Younger kids, high school kids, you know. You don’t know what the heck they’re looking for — you don’t know.”

“Minot police Lt. Dan Strandberg reported that, while it is a theory, it appears that Ms. Knutson did not have a relationship with the intruder,” the school’s statement said. “According to him, that is unusual and, of course, unsettling to all of us. We remind everyone of the importance of being deliberate in maintaining your personal security and being aware of your surroundings.