What happened to Anita Knutson? Details explored ahead of Dateline on NBC
The tragic case of Anita Knutson, a North Dakota college student found murdered in her Minot apartment in 2007, will be examined in detail on Dateline this Friday, May 2, 2025. The special two-hour episode, Murder in Minot, revisits the unresolved case that remained cold for nearly 15 years.
Anita Knutson, then 18, was discovered stabbed to death in her bedroom with no clear signs of forced entry, causing investigators to focus on those closest to her. Suspicion eventually centred on her roommate, Nichole Rice, who had a strained relationship with Knutson. In March 2022, Rice was arrested after renewed investigative efforts, which included a reexamination of evidence and alleged past confessions.
Despite testimony from acquaintances who claimed Rice had admitted to the crime while intoxicated, she was acquitted of the murder in March 2025, as per a Court TV report dated March 26, 2025. Dateline will explore how the case evolved, the trial’s outcome, and ongoing questions about Anita Knutson’s death.
15 years later, Nichole Rice faced charges for the murder of Anita Knutson and entered a not guilty plea
The murder of Anita Knutson, an 18-year-old college student from Minot, North Dakota, remained unsolved for nearly 15 years. In June 2007, Anita Knutson was found stabbed to death in her bedroom.
Her father, unable to reach her, accessed her locked apartment and discovered her body. There were no signs of forced entry, and no valuables were missing, leading authorities to suspect someone familiar with her.
Over the years, despite several potential leads, the case stayed cold. In March 2022, Minot police arrested Nichole Rice, who had been Anita Knutson’s roommate, and charged her with murder. Rice, who had since married and changed her last name, pleaded not guilty. Investigators pointed to inconsistencies in her statements and alleged confessions made over the years as critical factors leading to her arrest.
The upcoming Dateline episode Murder in Minot will examine how this case, once stagnant, was revived and ultimately brought to trial.
Testimonies and alleged confessions raise questions
At trial, prosecutors argued that Nichole Rice and Anita Knutson had a strained relationship, marked by disputes over small issues like the use of shared spaces. According to a Minot Daily News report dated March 22, 2025, Anita’s mother testified that Anita felt uncomfortable living with Rice and had even installed a lock on her bedroom door.
Several witnesses recounted Rice allegedly confessing to the crime in the years following Anita’s death. As per a Grand Forks Herald report dated March 21, 2025, William May, Rice’s former boyfriend, told the court that during a party in 2008, Rice confessed that she killed Anita.
“The comment was from Nichole Rice; it was that she had did it, that she had killed Anita,” he stated.
Another acquaintance, Kristina Holler, testified that Rice admitted to stabbing Anita during an argument over an alarm clock. Holler said Rice described Anita as wearing a robe at the time of the killing. Although Rice’s defence team questioned the reliability of these statements, they became central to the prosecution’s case.
Rice’s defence maintained that she had been at her parents' farm when Anita Knutson was killed. They also pointed to another individual, Devin Hall, as a possible alternative suspect. However, investigators eliminated Hall as a suspect after confirming his whereabouts during the time of the murder.
Rice acquitted, but debate continues as Dateline explores the case
Despite claims and conflicting statements, Nichole Rice was acquitted by a jury in March 2025. According to a Court TV report dated March 26, 2025, Rice’s family cheered as the not guilty verdict was read. The defence argued that media attention and circumstantial evidence had driven the case, while the prosecution insisted that Rice's words and behaviour pointed to guilt.
The killing of Anita remains a subject of public interest and debate. Dateline will now revisit the case in Murder in Minot, airing on May 2, 2025. The special will provide deeper insight into the investigation, the trial, and the long search for answers that still surrounds Anita Knutson’s tragic death.
Stay tuned for more updates.
