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View Full Version : Unsolved: Co-ed Anita Knutson, Jun. 7, 2007, Minot, N.D.


CSAFD
09-23-2009, 04:02 AM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Maverick1862/unsolved%20victims/anitaknutson-1.jpg

A Minot State University student who lived in the apartment across from Anita Knutson says he saw a broken window in her apartment.

Matt Murphy says he often parks his bike in a rack next to Knutson's bedroom window. He says he went to get his bicycle at noon Monday and noticed a broken window, with glass on the ground.

The body of the 18-year-old Knutson was found in her bedroom late Monday afternoon. Police suspect she was killed by an intruder.

They've released few details.

Police Lieutenant Dan Strandberg says a witness reported seeing a man running from the area. He's described as about 6-foot-2 with dark hair, weighing about 200 pounds and wearing a white T-shirt and dark shorts.

Knutson was from Butte, and graduated from Velva High School.

The school librarian, Iris Swedlund, describes her as "smiley and happy and colorful."

Knutson died of stab wounds
The Minot Police Department on Tuesday released new information regarding the murder of 18-year-old Anita Knutson early last week.

Though police have not yet received an autopsy report, Lt. Dan Strandberg said they are releasing initial observations from the autopsy indicating how Knutson was killed.

Strandberg said the manner of death was from two stab wounds to the chest, though he declined to say exactly where the wounds to the chest were located. He also noted that police do have a weapon in custody, but are not releasing any further details at this time.

Police have gotten some leads from the public, according to Strandberg, but so far they have “nothing that brings us into a specific focus of a person or persons.”

He said since they don’t have anybody specific they are looking for, they have to follow every lead they get, which is a slow and arduous process.

“Without any real focus, we have to run all those leads down,” Strandberg said. “That takes a lot of time.”

Knutson, a Minot State University student from Butte, was found dead in her northwest Minot apartment June 4 by her father. Funeral services were held Monday in Velva, where Knutson graduated from high school.

A memorial fund to put up a park bench with a plaque dedicated to Anita Knutson’s memory has been set up by Terry Delzer and her daughter Michelle of Minot. Anyone wishing to donate can go to any First International Bank and Trust location, or mail donations to the Anita Knutson Memorial Fund, c/o First International Bank and Trust, P.O. Box 1967, Minot, ND 58702. Delzer said any money left over will go to the Knutson family.

http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=11848

CSAFD
09-23-2009, 04:03 AM
IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG FOR JUSTICE FOR ANITA!!
Jun. 10, 2008

It is time for individual action in the State of North Dakota.

One day is too long for an unsolved murder in our state.

It is time for all of us to send individual notes/requests to both Governor Hoevern (he recently received 1000 signatures with the petition we started to make her case a priority..........)


Office of Governor John Hoeven
State of North Dakota
600 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0001
701.328.2200: phone
701.328.2205: fax
governor@nd.gov


AND


Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem
North Dakota Office of Attorney General
State of North
600 E. Boulevard Ave.
Dept. 125
Bismarck, ND 58505
ndag@nd.gov

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX


After listening to Gordon Knutson's comments (below), and then Stenejhem... it is time we ACT as a state and demand this case become a priority.



Anita Knutson: Still Under Investigation
http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=245271


Anita Knutson: Parents' Wait & Wonder
http://www.kxmc.com/getARticle.asp?ArticleId=245283

Anita Knutson: What Happened?
http://www.kxmb.com/News/Dakota/245282.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The minutes have ticked by into hours and then days and ultimately weeks... those who were close to Anita Knutson worry her killer may be putting more distance between himself and justice.

That's why they're offering a $15,000 reward for any information leading to the murderers arrest. Debbie Kuehn talked with Anita's dad today about how the family's getting along...

Gordon Knutson remembers a time when he had dreams... Now, he lives in a nightmare... a nightmare the break of dawn cannot chase away...

Everywhere they turn, Gordon and his wife Sharon face a bitter reality ...Could it be the guy in the next car at the stop light? Is it the person bagging the groceries? Is it one of the students wandering around the campus?

Gordon Knutson/ Anita's Dad-" Well actually, it should be frustrating for everybody because there's still a killer still out there."


Anyone out there could be the person who murdered their daughter.

Anita Knutson was a bubbly first year college student... on her way to becoming a teacher. Life, it seemed, was good. But one angry moment changed all of that.

Gordon- "So I went back and I got the landlady to open up and ..... that was it."


For the Knutsons, It's been an agonizing year of waiting and wondering...

Gordon-"Well, Cry a lot."


Anita Knutson will never decorate her own classroom, share wedding vows, or pass along her love of handbags with a daughter of her own... Someone put a stop to that one year ago. And all the while, her family struggles with the knowledge that for Anita's murderer... life has gone on.... Anita's murderer continues to entertain dreams and to make plans for the future.

Gordon- "What I wonder about is if there is some evidence there that could put a finger on who done this and they're delaying because they can't get results from the lab, then that has to be addressed."


One year later, the Knutsons are crying out for help. If you know ANYTHING... even if you think it's something small and insignificant, you're asked to share it with authorities... Perhaps you have that little tidbit that will put a killer behind bars... and allow Anita Knutson's family to dream again. Debbie Kuehn KX News.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HISTORY:

BUTTE (AP) - Residents in this small central North Dakota town have been shaken by the killing of Minot State University student Anita Knutson, one of their own.

The body of Knutson, 18, was found Monday in her off-campus Minot apartment. Police are searching for a suspect in the slaying, and awaiting autopsy results and results of lab tests on evidence.

In Butte, residents are trying to cope and help Knutson's parents, Gordon and Sharon, at the same time.

"The whole community is doing whatever they can do," said Sandie Hartman, who is helping run Sharon Knutson's grocery store. "This is something I can do. I used to work in a restaurant. You just give wherever you can."

Hartman and Marilyn Haugen said Anita Knutson's classmates from nearby Velva High School have been putting together pink bracelets in her memory that say "Rest in peace, Anita."

"Pink was her favorite color," Hartman said. "One of her teachers took one of (Anita's) purses and put a flower arrangement in it."

Haugen said her son, who is a year older than Anita, was one of her friends.

"He's in South Carolina right now, with a group of 60 people. They're all praying for her," Haugen said. "She's touching lives already, everywhere."

Haugen said Anita was adopted by the Knutsons, and that they have two other adopted children, both younger than her. Gordon Knutson, who was raised in Butte, is the mayor of the town of 70 people.

"They're just wonderful parents that adopted these three children," Haugen said. "They really took them as their own. Sharon kind of mothers everyone in the whole community. Everybody's really rallying around them."

Hartman said the community has gone from shock at Anita Knutson's death to anger.

"Now we just want whoever did this found immediately," she said.

Anita Knutson was to be buried Monday in the Butte Cemetery. A potluck supper will follow in the American Legion hall.

Dennis Schott, who runs a local insurance agency, said the community will survive the ordeal together.

"We've had this tragedy, and now we have to deal with it," he said

CSAFD
09-23-2009, 04:04 AM
Knutson Murder Case Still Open

6/15/2009

Two years have passed since 18-year-old Anita Knutson was stabbed to death in her Minot apartment. But investigators say the case is definitely not cold.

Investigators say her attacker broke in through her bedroom window and stabbed her to death.

The murder weapon was found but no suspects have developed in the case.

Detective Bob Barnard from the Minot Police Department says they are still following up on leads and phone calls they receive.

Investigators hoped a sketch released late last year would create more leads.

A man did come forward saying he might be the person in the sketch, but police say he is not a suspect.

"it is not a cold case. People are still calling us with information. People are still remembering stuff like people they remember seeing Anita talking to to someone who lived in the area that recently moved so we are still following up on those leads and until we don`t get any more information coming into the department this is not a cold case, it is still an active case and we are working on it every chance we get," says Detective Barnard.

Barnard says some evidence is being reprocessed at the state crime lab with newer technology.

http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=31174

CSAFD
09-23-2009, 04:04 AM
Yesterday Sept. 22, 2009 would have been Anita's 21st birthday. R.I.P. Anita

packy
09-23-2009, 07:14 AM
Very sad. Her brother posted at this site thanking everyone for their kind words.

http://www.kxmb.com/getForumPost.asp?ArticleId=130299

Someone mentioned a similarity with Mindy Morganstern's murder in which there was a conviction. I wonder if he was arrested by the time of Anita's death. It seems that he may have been.

CSAFD
09-23-2009, 02:45 PM
yes there was a conviction in Mindy's case and he was convicted before Anita was killed. Anita's sister Anna is a friend of mine (she's on my fb contacts as well)