Arrest Made in the 2007 Murder of Anita Knutson

On Wednesday, March 16th, the Minot Police announced they have arrested Anita’s former roommate, thirty-four year old Nichole Rice, previously known as Nichole Thomas. Working as a civilian employee at Minot Air Force Base, she was arrested without incident and charged with felony intentional homicide.

According to multiple news outlets, Rice is charged with a Class AA Felony and if convicted faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Rice was being held in Ward County Jail until last night when, according to court documents, her father, Kevin Thomas, bailed her out writing a check for $120,000.

According to recently released court documents, William May, an ex-boyfriend of Rice’s reported to police that sometime between 2008 and 2009, Rice had drank to excess and become belligerent.  During a rant, she allegedly told him that she had in fact murdered Anita.  At the time of the murder, Rice had an alibi saying that she was home visiting her parents when Anita was killed, however court documents go on to say statements from her and family members were inconsistent.  One witness reportedly told police that Rice was at a bar in Ruso, ND, approximately 40 miles south of Minot the weekend of the murder.  This witness claimed thar Rice left the bar saying she was going to pick up clothes from her apartment.

Rice, who was 19 at the time of the murder, has a daughter and got married just a few months ago, in December of 2021.As of this time there has not been a statement issued by Rice, her family or her lawyer. During this time the Knutson family needs space to come to terms with this reality and to grieve. Reached for comment, Anita’s mother Sharon told The Forum “It’s good in one way, but it’s making everything come back again.”