UPDATE: New Information Emerges on 2007 Minot, North Dakota Murder Case

MINOT, ND (trfnews.i234.me) We now have details behind a 2007 Minot, North Dakota murder case. Nicole Rice, the former roommate of murder victim, Anita Knutson has formally been charged with Murder.
we now have more details behind a nearly 15-year-old murder case 34 year old nicole rice of minot has been charged with a class double a felony of murder this week in the stabbing death of 18 year old anita knutson in minot back in june of 2007 uh more details now in the criminal complaint reading from a quote on june 4th at 2 uh 2007 at approximately 5 12 p.m officers with the minot police department were dispatched to a deceased person call at 2424 street northwest apartment number five in minot north dakota it was learned that it was the residence of anita knutson and nicole thomas uh also known as nicole rice the deceased individual was identified as anita knutson 18 years old she was discovered when her father gordon knutson came over to find out why she had not been responding to calls and why she had failed to show up for work her death was ruled a homicide as a result of two stab wounds that caused her to bleed out gordon saw anita a line on her bed through her open window he reached in and touched her and she was cold the landlady ultimately unlocked the door for gordon and then called the police the landlady indicated that when they opened the apartment door it was locked and that she was required to use her key to get in the nature of the lock was such that a key was needed to both lock and unlock the door nicole rice was not at home when anita’s body was discovered four individuals were known to law enforcement to have keys to the apartment one key was in anita’s possession uh the other in nicole rice’s possession the landlady and a maintenance person so uh phone records uh in forensic analysis of anita’s phone indicates that she was texting with a friend in the early morning hours of sunday june 3rd 2007 at 4 43 a.m the friend sent a text message to anita stating i thought you were going to reply to the last text to which at 4 48 a.m anita responded i didn’t know what to say to it at 4 53 a.m the friend sent his last text you don’t say anything which was never read by anita no other communication by anita was reported after that final text from her multiple items of value such as cash and anita’s purse or laptop or cell phone and a digital camera were located within a room and nothing was just disturbed suggesting theft was not a motive the single window in anita’s room which was located just past the foot of her bed was wide open and missing a screen a pocket knife with dried blood on it was found on the bed close to the wall and open window two fabric bins filled to overflowing were located on the floor directly beneath the window the bins and their contents were undisturbed when there were no scuff marks shoe prints disturbed dust cobwebs to indicate window entry and the thin aluminum seam at the bottom of the window was not bent it does not appear anyone went through the window based on the fact that nothing was disturbed a number of individuals indicated there was a lot of tension between anita and nicole anita had a reputation for being kind friendly likable nicole’s reputation is that she was hot tempered reactionary one friend heard nicole say to anita prior to her murder quote one way or another i’m going to get you anita out of this house unquote law enforcement received numerous tips over the years since anita’s murder one of the tips included information regarding a party attended by nicole law enforcement had been told told that nicole admitted to the murder but the person or people that heard this admission was unknown to law enforcement march of 2022 law enforcement identified this person as william may william may dated nicole for a couple of months in either 2008 or 2009 during that time may was living with some buddies in a house or they would have get togethers during one such get-together with nicole thomas present nicole rice present one of may’s friends brought up anita’s murder and they began discussing who committed the murder may describe nicole as having gotten gotten belligerently drunk and they were all about to go to bed may said that when nicole told him she quote did it mae said that he later attempted to get nicole to admit it again while she was sober but she became angry at her nicole told police that she was at her family’s farm by velva when anita was murdered statements received from nicole were inconsistent and contradicted each other statements by family members by members of her family were also inconsistent nicole stated she and anita were best friends and that she had never complained about anita to anyone this was contradicted by a number of people who indicated nicole did not like anita on september 10th of 2008 uh witness one told officers after anita’s murder nicole had referred to anita as quote a effing bish uh and a effing little a c uh nicole had also nicole had also told witness one that she had been in her parents farm all weekend when witness one knew that nicole had been at a bar in russo on saturday night june 2nd 2007 until the early morning hours of june third two thousand seven nicole told witness one that after she left the club in russo she had to uh she headed to minot to her apartment to get some clothes that night witness once said that nicole had changed her story multiple times nicole and kevin thomas nicole’s father previously told officers that nicole was at her parents house from approximately 7 p.m on saturday june 2nd until the morning of june 4th 2007 those statements have changed several times and contradict each other witness one said that nicole told her details about the scene that would have not been known to nicole or anyone outside the investigation team law enforcement re-interviewed multiple people including the defendant in 2022 based on the foregoing uh the officer requests a warrant be issued for nicole rice and again that was from the criminal complaint nicole rice has now been charged with uh class double a felony of murder a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison i’m neil carlson reporting for inews dot tv