Investigator

It's where Anna Knutson spent much of her late childhood, raised with her brother Daniel and their older sister, Anita. What was it like living there in a place that small?

It's where Anna Knutson spent much of her late childhood, raised with her brother Daniel and their older sister, Anita. What was it like living there in a place that small?

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's what you do when you're the mayor's kids. Yep, yep. Anna's big sister, Anita, left for college in nearby Minot, a bustling big city by North Dakota standards. Anita's aunt, Karen Lear, lived there too. How excited was she for college?

That's what you do when you're the mayor's kids. Yep, yep. Anna's big sister, Anita, left for college in nearby Minot, a bustling big city by North Dakota standards. Anita's aunt, Karen Lear, lived there too. How excited was she for college?

So when Anita's family didn't hear from her one weekend in June 2007, they figured she was at work, at least at first. Saturday passed, then Sunday. Was it out of character for them to not hear from Anita? Very much so, absolutely. By Monday, with no word from Anita, her dad Gordon made the hour-long drive to his daughter's apartment to check on her.

So when Anita's family didn't hear from her one weekend in June 2007, they figured she was at work, at least at first. Saturday passed, then Sunday. Was it out of character for them to not hear from Anita? Very much so, absolutely. By Monday, with no word from Anita, her dad Gordon made the hour-long drive to his daughter's apartment to check on her.

When he peered through Anita's window, he saw her lying face down in her bed. The apartment manager let him inside and immediately called 911. Is this a police department?

When he peered through Anita's window, he saw her lying face down in her bed. The apartment manager let him inside and immediately called 911. Is this a police department?

Right away, Anita's dad called his sister, Karen. He said, you've got to come here. He must have said she's dead. When she arrived, police were already on the scene. So you drive up to the apartment, and the only thing that you know is... That she's gone. Anita's gone. Right. I can't imagine, Karen, him coming to check on Anita and being the one to discover that she had been killed.

Right away, Anita's dad called his sister, Karen. He said, you've got to come here. He must have said she's dead. When she arrived, police were already on the scene. So you drive up to the apartment, and the only thing that you know is... That she's gone. Anita's gone. Right. I can't imagine, Karen, him coming to check on Anita and being the one to discover that she had been killed.

When you got there and saw him, how was he?

When you got there and saw him, how was he?

Karen stayed on the scene as Gordon left to break the news to his wife and the rest of the family.

Karen stayed on the scene as Gordon left to break the news to his wife and the rest of the family.

Yeah. You felt you were being there for her.

Yeah. You felt you were being there for her.

And the mystery of who killed Anita was only just beginning.

And the mystery of who killed Anita was only just beginning.