Nichole Rice was the central figure in a high-profile legal case concerning the 2007 death of her roommate, Anita Knutson, at Minot State University in North Dakota. Knutson, an 18-year-old student, was found stabbed in her off-campus apartment, and the case remained unsolved for nearly 15 years. In March 2022, Rice was arrested and charged with Knutson’s murder.
The trial commenced on March 18, 2025. Prosecutors alleged that Rice killed Knutson in a fit of rage over a recurring alarm clock disturbance. Witnesses testified that Rice had confessed to the crime, but defense attorney Rick Sand challenged the credibility of these accounts and highlighted the lack of definitive DNA evidence linking Rice to the murder.
After deliberating for approximately five and a half hours, the jury acquitted Rice on March 25, 2025. The verdict elicited strong reactions from both Knutson’s friends and family, as well as the public, with some expressing disbelief over the outcome.
For a detailed account of the trial’s verdict, you can watch the following news coverage: