North Dakota police said Wednesday they have arrested a woman who was the former roommate of an 18-year-old college student who was killed nearly 15 years ago. Anita Knutson, a student at Minot State University, was found stabbed in her apartment on June 4, 2007.
Minot Police Department said 34-year-old Nichole Rice was under arrest. Rice was working at the Minot Air Force Base as a civilian when she was arrested without incident, Police Chief John Klug told a news conference Wednesday night.
Minot Police Department
“It was a relief,” Klug said of the arrest. “It was good to know that finally the only case we had around here and we couldn’t come up with a solution is finally over.”
Rice, who was Knutson’s roommate at the time of her death, is charged with murder and is being held at Ward County Jail, police said.
“It was never enough to arrest her, but I would say she was always an interested person in this case,” Klug said when asked if Rice had been previously authorized.
On June 4, 2007, Knutson’s father had called police because he had not heard from her for several days, KXNET-TV reported. In the courtyard outside her apartment, Anita’s father showed police a screened window that led to her bedroom window.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Knutson stabbed to death in her bedroom, covered with a large robe.
“My heart goes out to the family,” Klug said. “I wish we had solved it sooner, but at the same time I’m glad to say that we have the person responsible for the murder of Anita Knutson in custody.”
- In:
- cold case
- North Dakota
- murder
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