“Murder in Minot”: Dateline Reports on Anita Knutson Homicide May 2 2025

On Friday, May 2, 2025, Dateline NBC will air a two-hour special titled “Murder in Minot” at 9:00 PM ET/8:00 PM CT, exploring the unsolved murder of 19-year-old Anita Knutson and the trial of her former roommate, Nichole Rice. Correspondent Blayne Alexander leads viewers through a case that haunted the small town of Minot, North Dakota, for nearly two decades. The episode features interviews with law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys, family members, and friends, capturing the complexity of the investigation and the emotional weight carried by those closest to Anita.

The special examines how the investigation initially stalled, the breakthrough that came with the involvement of the Cold Justice team, and the dramatic courtroom battle that ultimately ended in Rice’s acquittal. With exclusive interviews and insight into the trial, Dateline provides a comprehensive look at a case that has left lingering questions for the community and Knutson’s family.

The Murder of Anita Knutson: A Promising Life Cut Short

On June 3, 2007, Anita Knutson, a student at Minot State University, was found stabbed to death in her off-campus apartment. Anita’s father, Gordon Knutson, had gone to check on her after she failed to respond to phone calls. When he arrived, he discovered her bedroom window’s screen had been sliced, and inside, Anita lay dead in her bed with stab wounds to her chest. She was just 18 at the time.

The murder sent shockwaves through Minot, a city unaccustomed to violent crime of this nature. The apartment showed no sign of forced entry beyond the cut screen, and despite numerous interviews and leads, the Minot Police Department was unable to identify a suspect. The case went cold, with no arrests for nearly 15 years, leaving Anita’s family searching for answers.

A Break in the Case: The Arrest of Nichole Rice

In March 2022, authorities arrested Anita’s former roommate, Nichole Rice, charging her with Anita’s murder. Rice, who was 34 at the time of her arrest, had been living under a different name, Nichole Thomas, and working in Minot. Her arrest followed renewed investigative efforts spurred by the involvement of the Cold Justice television program, which had come to Minot to revisit the cold case.

Rice pleaded not guilty to the charge, and her defense argued that the arrest was largely influenced by the media attention brought by the show. The prosecution, however, pointed to alleged confessions Rice had made to friends in the years following Anita’s death. These statements, they argued, supported the theory that Rice killed Anita in a moment of anger during an argument about mundane roommate issues, including a persistently ringing alarm clock.

The Trial: Confessions, Testimony, and Doubt

Rice’s trial began on March 18, 2025, nearly 18 years after Anita’s murder. Prosecutors presented testimony from multiple witnesses, including Kristina Holler, a friend who claimed Rice admitted to stabbing Anita during an argument over an alarm clock. Another witness, William May, testified that Rice confessed to him while drunk at a party in 2008. Both testimonies became critical pieces of the prosecution’s case.

The defense, led by attorney Richard Sand, countered that the alleged confessions were unreliable, pointing out the lack of police records documenting May’s supposed report in 2008. Sand also argued that the involvement of Cold Justice pressured the Minot Police Department into making an arrest without sufficient evidence. Forensic testimony further complicated the case; DNA testing on the murder weapon was inconclusive, with multiple DNA profiles detected, making it impossible to definitively link Rice to the knife.

Verdict and Community Reaction

After seven days of testimony and more than 20 witnesses, the jury deliberated for five and a half hours before returning a verdict of not guilty on March 27, 2025. Emotions ran high in the courtroom as Rice, her attorneys, and supporters embraced following the announcement. Anita’s family quietly left the courtroom, grappling with the outcome after years of waiting for justice.

Anita’s sister, Anna Knutson-Toedter, later posted a statement expressing her belief that a not guilty verdict does not equate to innocence. The trial’s conclusion left many in Minot questioning whether the truth about Anita’s murder will ever come to light. With no other suspects publicly named, the case remains unresolved, despite the high-profile trial.

Lingering Questions and the Future of the Case

The Minot Police Department has not announced further investigative steps following the verdict. Interim Police Chief Dale Plessas, who testified about the department’s struggles to close the case, has declined comment on whether the investigation remains active. Defense attorney Sand suggested that alternative suspects were overlooked, including a maintenance worker who died by suicide in 2009.

As Dateline NBC revisits the case in “Murder in Minot,” viewers will gain insight into the investigation’s missteps, the impact of media involvement, and the enduring pain of a family left without closure. The episode stands as a detailed account of a case where answers remain elusive, even after nearly two decades. For Anita’s family and the Minot community, the search for justice continues.