A North Dakota woman is facing charges of murder after allegedly killing her college roommate over a seemingly trivial argument about an alarm clock that wouldn’t stop ringing.
The case revolves around the 2007 death of 18-year-old Anita Knutson, whose body was found in her off-campus apartment in Minot on June 3, 2007.
Knutson, a student at Minot State University, had been stabbed twice in the chest. The case went cold for nearly 15 years, until March 2022 when authorities arrested her former roommate, Nichole Rice, and charged her with murder.
Rice, now 37, was a freshman at the time of Knutson’s death and was living with her at the time of the stabbing. Rice has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and her trial began on March 18, 2025.
Prosecutors argue that Rice killed Knutson in a fit of rage over the persistent sound of an alarm clock. They claim that Rice’s anger escalated to the point where she fatally stabbed Knutson.
Defense attorney Rick Sand countered, calling the prosecution’s claim “preposterous” and emphasizing that roommates often experience conflicts over small issues.
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He argued that there was insufficient evidence linking Rice to the crime and suggested that the arrest was influenced by the TV show Cold Justice, which had filmed an episode about the case.
The trial has seen a series of emotional testimonies, including an alleged confession from Rice to her friend Kristina Holler.
Holler testified that Rice admitted to stabbing Knutson during an argument about the alarm clock.
In addition, another witness, William May, testified that Rice confessed to him at a party in 2008. However, Rice later denied remembering making the statement.
Forensic evidence presented in the trial showed that there were multiple sources of DNA on the knife believed to be the murder weapon, complicating efforts to determine whose DNA it was.
A classmate, Michelle Moore, testified that she knew the two roommates had argued but didn’t believe Rice killed Knutson.
