The states case was laid out by Minot Police officer Mikali Talbott, who began working on the cold case sometime in 2018. Eighteen year old Anita Knutson had just completed her freshman semester at Minot State University in North Dakota. According to Minot Police Chief John Klug, 34-year-old Nichole Rice was arrested at about 3:25 this (Wed) afternoon for the 2007 murder of Anita Knutson. The full affidavit of probable cause can be read here. Talbott also noted a number of statements made by people who knew both Rice and Knutson at the time who said that despite being very close when they were younger, the pairs relationship had grown toxic since they moved in together. P*PTM WQUT Nichole Rice is a North Dakota woman arrested in the 2007 cold case murder of her roommate. Rice, then Nichole Thomas, was 19. Rices arrest affidavit states that witnesses recall that Rice and Knutson had a strained relationship and that Rice admitted to a man she dated briefly that she had done it.. P*px>]Ap*@ h 2. A message left for Rice's attorney, Philip Becher, was not returned Thursday. Knutson was found dead in her off-campus apartment in Minot on June 4, 2007, after her father called for a welfare check, according to police. We found Marcus Witherspoon in 18 states: View Marcus's current address, phone number, social media profiles + Browse arrest, criminal and felony court records. . Investigators in North Dakota have made an arrest in the cold case murder of an 18-year-old Minot State University student in 2007. Rice, whose previous name was Nichole Thomas, was 19 at the time of the murder. Email sourisvalleybowmen@hotmail.com for membership fees. Find your friends on Facebook. Carmen Asham, Det. A bloody knife was found in a bathroom and nothing appeared to have been stolen, according to police. In June of 2007, after not hearing from Anita, Gordon Knutson grew worried about his oldest daughter. Nichole stated she and Anita were best friends and she has never complained about Anita to anyone. Several people told police there was a lot of tension between the reportedly hot-tempered Rice and Knutson, who was known for being kind and friendly, court documents said. Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. According to North Dakota state law, the charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison without parole if she is convicted. They are usually either out fishing or hunting during their free time. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. See Photos. By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling | Feb. 28, 2023, 9:24 a.m. (ET) P*px>]Ip*@ Rice, then Nichole Thomas, was 19. 4x>59P*@Et1 T)A Rice, whose previous name was Nichole Thomas, was 19 at the time of the murder. The pre-trial conference is scheduled for Nov. 16. Nicole Rice (Nicole Rice) See Photos. Knutson's mother, Sharon Knutson, was reached by The Forum on Thursday at her home in Butte, North Dakota. Nichole Rice, 34, appeared in Ward County District Court in connection with the 2007 death of 18-year-old Anita . Cold Justice is a true-crime TV show that airs on Oxygen produced by Dick Wolf. View more. IE 11 is not supported. 1. |jrT . jdQV{GOwg2fUs(udT k]"%b*bd>g(15['UF B(efxU kiF)y. t0YODDYi& zx Police in North Dakota 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. P*@ T She was covered with a robe and had two stab wounds that caused her to bleed to death, according to a criminal complaint filed against Rice. Finally, my heart goes out to the family. On March 17, at Rices initial hearing for the murder of Knutson, the states attorneys argued for a $1 million bail on the basis of similar cases being set at that amount, but did not mention Rices failure to appear in 2012. Nichole Rice Roommate Arrested in 15-Year-Old Cold Case Murder of North Dakota College Student. I really liked her, I know u 2 had yor ups and downs, no different they any of the other in yor class. She said when they make an arrest, it will be a much needed relief 4 everyone., Nichole Rice replied, Its just hard being the person everyone looks at. There was never enough to arrest her. One person heard Rice tell Knutson, One way or another, Im going to get you out of this house, the complaint said. Weve tried to keep this investigation alive over the years. He said, I think the turning point in this case was really just trying to pull all of that information together and put it in an order that makes sense. View more. During a party with his friends, Knutsons murder came up, the tipster said. My heart goes out to the family. We tried to actively investigate Anitas case for the past few years, and finally, with the help of Cold Justice, we were able to move forward and regain focus. Due to the resources, logistics, planning and experts they were able to provide, we were able to obtain an arrest warrant,. At about 3:25 p.m. 34-year-old Nichole Rice was arrested for murder and taken to our county jail. The preliminary hearing for Nichole Erin Rice, 34, the accused killer of Anita Knutson, 18, was held on Sept. 8 in North Central District Court in Minot. She was found stabbed to death in her off-campus apartment in 2007. It added that she and her husband, have recently purchased 6 acres not land and are planning the future with (her daughter)! Copyright 2022 KFYR. \FOy P*@4 T2 "It's good in one way, but it's making everything come back again," Knutson said. People at a gathering Rice attended were discussing who killed Knutson, and later that night, as she was getting into bed with her then-boyfriend, she said she did it, court documents alleged. I must also thank all of the officers, the staff and everybody else at the Minot Police Department who has picked up the slack while everybody else has been busy working this case.. P m*@ T \EOWy Rices attorney, Philip Becher, while questioning Talbott, attempted to make a case that a Montana man, who was a person of interest along with Rice and others early on, could have killed Knutson. The North Dakota Supreme Court will not answer certified questions absent development of the factual record because doing so exposes the court to the danger of improvidently deciding issues. 1 Murder trial set for accused Anita Knutson killer. Rice will be charged with the murder of 18-year-old Anita Knutson. Talbott pointed to a series of inconsistencies in Rices statements, and the statements of family members that broke down the narrative Rice had given of her movements on June 2. A landlady had to unlock the door to enter the apartment when she, a maintenance worker and Knutsons father saw Knutson lying on her bed through an open window, according to court documents. Statements received from Nichole were inconsistent and contradicted each other. Works at Paparazzi Accessories. Anitas car was parked outside and the apartment was locked. The affidavit said: Nichole told witness 1 that after she left the club in Ruso, she had to Minot to her apartment to get some clothes that night. Due to the resources, logistics, planning and experts they were able to provide, we were able to obtain an arrest warrant, Klug said. I wish we could have solved this sooner, but at the same time Im glad to say that we have the person responsible for the murder of Anita Knutson in custody.. Her Facebook page has been deleted. The 65-year-old hip hop pioneer wore a giant white polar bear outfit sporting gold chains and a sideways red baseball cap while competing on the hit Fox show. Minot Police Chief John Klug said Rice was never ruled out as a suspect and remained a person of interest during the investigation. A woman accused of killing She wrote, I wish they would catch the person that took Anitas life. According to North Dakota state law, the charge carries a potential sentence of life in prison without parole if she is convicted. One witness told police Rice was at a bar in Ruso, North Dakota, about 40 miles south of Minot, that Saturday night into Sunday morning, and when she left the bar, Rice said she was going back to her apartment to get some clothes. P*px>]Qp*@ ( Huebner is a 35+ year veteran of broadcast and print journalism in Fargo-Moorhead. The chief did not get into details about what led them to Rice or a motive. On June 4, 2007, Knutson's father had called the police because he hadn't heard from her in several days, KXNET-TV reported. Statements by members of her family were also inconsistent. View photos, directions, registry details and more at The Knot. MINOT, N.D. (KVRR/AP) A Minot woman arrested in a 15-year-old cold case murder has her initial appearance in Ward County court. Its always a friendly competition, the page says. P*PTM WQUT Shes now charged with her murder 15 years after Knutson was killed. Apt. Pilar Melendez. Nearly 15 years after 18-year-old college student Anita Knutson was found murdered in her off-campus apartment in Minot, North Dakota police have made an arrest in her case. Tx>U5hS*@Ut'9 T*A |T P*px>]Ip*@ 18-year-old Anita Knutson was a student at Minot State. Rice was at work on Minot Air Force Base as a civilian when she was arrested without incident, Police Chief John Klug said at Wednesday evening news conference. Nichole Rice was charged with murder, which is a AA felony, and was taken to the Ward County Jail on Wednesday afternoon. A pocket knife with dried blood on it was found near the bedroom window, court documents said. P*@ T* Nichole Rice is a North Dakota woman arrested in the 2007 cold case murder of her roommate. P*@ < A UOU T So to me, this was a young girl with a great future that was taken away from her family way too soon. Once the preliminary hearing concluded, Hagar said there was sufficient probable cause against Rice and bound her over to District Court for arraignment. Rice is charged with Class AA murder in the June 2007 stabbing death of Knutson, who was a childhood friend and her roommate at the time. 34-year-old Nichole Rice . Rices social media also showed she was an avid bowhunter. Lived In Dickinson ND, South Heart ND, Bowman ND, Rhame ND. Knutson, a Minot State University student, was found dead on Monday, June 4, 2007, face-down in her bed at her and Rices northwest Minot apartment. Minot Police Department, Facebook. MINOT An unsolved murder draped over the Minot Police Department for 15 years finally resulted in an arrest this week. P m*@ T Rice will be back in court April 21 for her preliminary hearing and arraignment. Witness 1 said that Nichole had changed her story multiple times. In Thursdays hearing, Becher said regarding that particular tip, Rice said someone might blame her for the murder, not that she did it.. A lot of it isnt new information, there were a few details that came up. So many exciting things to come! Becher also said ticketing information from Amtrak indicated the man had arrived in Minot from Montana the day before and suggested he could have been present to commit the murder. They read every statement, they looked at every piece of evidence, they looked at every report that was done and they refined that information down. March 17, 2022 / 6:52 AM Current Minot Police Chief John Klug was the arresting officer at the time and wrote in his report that Hall had said, Ive been in a lot of houses here.. Tx>U5hS*@Ut'9 T*A Many people wanted to be close to Anita. Anita Knutson was 18 years old when she was murdered on June 4, 2007, at her home in Minot. As previously reported, the victim's father Gordon . 'It actually had me laughing and it allowed you to let your guard . County records show at the time, Rices last name was Bakken, her first husbands family name. People named Nicole Rice. Grace Kraemer 3/17/2022. "It was a relief," Klug said of the arrest. BISMARCK - United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on April 3, 2019, Nicole Marie Rogers, age 31, from Minot, ND, was charged by Indictment with two counts of Bank Fraud, Possession of Stolen Mail, and Aggravated Identity Theft.. Roger's initial appearance was before Magistrate Judge Alice R. Senechal, on March 26, 2019. After hearing the prosecutors and defenses arguments, District Judge Richard Hagar set Rices bail at $250,000 surety and $120,000 cash. Rice initially maintained she was at her parents' farm near Velva, North Dakota, the weekend of Knutson's murder, but subsequent statements from her and family members over the years were inconsistent, Talbott said. Talbotts testimony highlighted various facts and evidence from the scene that indicate the killer had access to Knutsons apartment in Minot, as well as a number of discrepancies in Rices statements and alibi for the night of the murder. Nichole Rice is a North Dakota woman arrested in the 2007 cold case murder of her roommate. 3,884 court search results for people named "Nicole Thomas" in the United States. Also known as Nicole A Thomas. That's the plea entered by Nichole Rice, accused of the 2007 murder of Anita Knutson in Minot. The screen on the window in Knutsons bedroom had been cut open and was found face down on her bed with multiple stab wounds. |T P m*@ T At a press conference on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, Minot Police announced the arrest of 34-year-old Nichole Rice. Rice is being imprisoned in the Ward County Jail on a murder accusation. Rice, previously known as Nichole Thomas, was not at the apartment when Knutson was found. Rice told police she never complained about Knutson and they were best friends, court documents said. Rice's story about the last time she saw Knutson also kept changing, he said. My heart goes out to the family, Chief Klug said at Wednesdays press conference announcing the arrest. Thomas Family Funeral Home 304 S Main Street Minot, ND 58701 (701) 838-2832 (701) 838-6949 toll free: (800) 228-3588 \DOy According to her now-deleted Facebook page, she was born in Velva, North Dakota, and lived in Minot. Rice had . Knutson, who was a Minot State University student, was found dead June 4, 2007, face down in her bed at her and Rices northwest Minot apartment. Nichole Rice, Anita Knutson Murder Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Earlier this month, Rices ex-boyfriend told police that Rice got belligerently drunk in 2008 or 2009 and admitted to killing Knutson, according to court documents. Heres what you need to know about Nichole Rice, the suspect in Anita Knutsons murder: According to police, Rice, then Nichole Thomas, was Anita Knutsons only roommate. 14-year-old driver killed in train collision in northwestern North Dakota, Tax breaks for biofuels, grain bin construction among ag bills passed in North Dakota, In the 1920s, a lawman in North Dakota had a dark secret - He was Al Capones brother. /Length 154660 /Filter /FlateDecode >> We identified 4 records related to "Nicole Thomas" in the state of North Dakota. A page related to that job has also been deleted. Rice was then charged with a Class A misdemeanor for failure to appear after release bail jumping. The show follows former Harris County, Texas, prosecutor Kelly Siegler and former Las Vegas Metro Police crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary as they work on cold case murders. After nearly 15 years, police have arrested a suspect in the 2007 killing of 18-year-old Anita Knutson in Minot, North Dakota. This comes as the suspect bonded out . A pocketknife with dried blood on it was found on the bed, close to the wall and open window. Police said nothing was disturbed beneath the window, and it did not appear anyone went through the window., According to the affidavit, A number of individuals indicated that there was a lot of tension between Anita and Nichole. I wish we could have solved this sooner, but at the same time, Im glad to say that we have the person responsible for the murder of Anita Knutson in custody.. For some reason, it always seemed like no matter who she was talking to, Anna said, she made them feel like the most important person in the world at that time. Anna was only 15 years old when Anita was killed. Rice had been charged with one Class B misdemeanor and one infraction for issuing checks without sufficient funds or credit in January and February 2012. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Related To Marcy Thomas, Joe Thomas, E Thomas, J Thomas. Background: Anita was an 18 year old freshman at Minot State University in North Dakota, USA in 2007. McHenry County court records show that Nichole Rice, 34, who has been charged with the 2007 murder of her roommate Anita Knutson, 18, failed to appear in court in 2012. Rice was Knutson's roommate during the time of the killing . For nearly 15 years, Anita Knutson's family anxiously waited for North Dakota authorities to identify a suspect in the brutal murder of the 18-year-old Minot State University . x>1hR*@etGA T(A Nichole is related to Kevin D Thomas and Casey M Thomas as well as 3 additional people. MINOT, N.D. Since Nichole Rice pleaded not guilty to the murder of Anita Knutson, which sent the case to trial, Rice's pretrial conference has been rescheduled twice now.The Ward County Clerk's office says it's likely the pretrial conference has been pushed back repeatedly because of the amount of evidence being submitted by the state and the defense. Judge Richard Hagar has an off the record conversation with the defense and prosecution at the beginning of Nichole Erin Rices preliminary hearing. We found 4 records matching "Nicole Thomas" in ND. Talbott said that the relationship had become so strained that Knutson had installed a lock on her door about a month before the murder. Concluded, Hagar said there was sufficient probable cause can be read here s roommate the. 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