Sergeant Goodman

Yes. We learned that she lived there with another girl.

Yes. We learned that she lived there with another girl.

For the most part, nobody really saw or heard anything during the time frame that we believe the homicide occurred.

For the most part, nobody really saw or heard anything during the time frame that we believe the homicide occurred.

Yeah, she had been texting Michael Vann into the late night, early morning hours of Sunday, June 3rd. And he appeared to be the last one to have any sort of a conversation with her.

Yeah, she had been texting Michael Vann into the late night, early morning hours of Sunday, June 3rd. And he appeared to be the last one to have any sort of a conversation with her.

There was nothing that we could see that would indicate that she was sexually assaulted. It was definitely something that we were concerned about and it was on our minds.

There was nothing that we could see that would indicate that she was sexually assaulted. It was definitely something that we were concerned about and it was on our minds.

We found out that there was superficial cuts or marks on Anita's neck. So it led us to believe that somebody is there, kind of in her face, holding the knife to her neck and angry. And then that just escalated to the point of stabbing her.

We found out that there was superficial cuts or marks on Anita's neck. So it led us to believe that somebody is there, kind of in her face, holding the knife to her neck and angry. And then that just escalated to the point of stabbing her.

We felt like it was somebody that she knew.

We felt like it was somebody that she knew.

We did have one witness come forward and say that she saw somebody running early that morning.

We did have one witness come forward and say that she saw somebody running early that morning.

That's what she thought it could be.

That's what she thought it could be.

That's what she thought it could be.

That's what she thought it could be.

Tyler Schmaltz was kind of infatuated with her.

Tyler Schmaltz was kind of infatuated with her.

We learned that they had kind of a poor relationship, that there was some minor fights and some arguing between the two of them.

We learned that they had kind of a poor relationship, that there was some minor fights and some arguing between the two of them.

They did, yes.

They did, yes.

He did.

He did.

He's somebody that kind of always was in our minds. Could he have been involved? Can we come up with any motive that he would have had?

He's somebody that kind of always was in our minds. Could he have been involved? Can we come up with any motive that he would have had?

We did. And it got to a point where it did raise some red flags with us.

We did. And it got to a point where it did raise some red flags with us.

Yes, his name came up many times in different meetings about the case and if there was anything further we needed to do with him or ask of him. So yeah, his name definitely stayed on our radar.

Yes, his name came up many times in different meetings about the case and if there was anything further we needed to do with him or ask of him. So yeah, his name definitely stayed on our radar.

Tyler remained a person of interest pretty much throughout the investigation. There was different investigators that had different theories of what could have happened and who could have been responsible. His name was always somebody that we thought of.

Tyler remained a person of interest pretty much throughout the investigation. There was different investigators that had different theories of what could have happened and who could have been responsible. His name was always somebody that we thought of.

Devin Hall is somewhat of a troubled teenager. He was in a facility for troubled teens. He had been involved in some break-ins where he'd gone in through some windows. So that started raising some suspicion as well.

Devin Hall is somewhat of a troubled teenager. He was in a facility for troubled teens. He had been involved in some break-ins where he'd gone in through some windows. So that started raising some suspicion as well.

I ended up talking to somebody that works for the Family Services Department. She made the comment that she hoped that Devin Hall was not involved in the murder in Minot.

I ended up talking to somebody that works for the Family Services Department. She made the comment that she hoped that Devin Hall was not involved in the murder in Minot.

Yes.

Yes.

That's correct.

That's correct.

I talked to one relative. I showed her a picture of the knife that was used to kill Anita. She initially positively identified that knife as at one time belonging to her or her mother.

I talked to one relative. I showed her a picture of the knife that was used to kill Anita. She initially positively identified that knife as at one time belonging to her or her mother.

Yes.

Yes.

He denied being involved in the murder in Minot, denied knowing Anita at all.

He denied being involved in the murder in Minot, denied knowing Anita at all.

I showed Devin a picture of the murder weapon and he right away showed interest in it and thought that it looked like something that he had had at one point.

I showed Devin a picture of the murder weapon and he right away showed interest in it and thought that it looked like something that he had had at one point.

He thought he recognized it.

He thought he recognized it.

Yes. Yeah, I was very surprised too that Devin admitted that he thought that he had a knife that I was showing him was used in a murder.

Yes. Yeah, I was very surprised too that Devin admitted that he thought that he had a knife that I was showing him was used in a murder.

He didn't seem to be nervous about that at all. Somebody that was involved in a murder with that knife wouldn't be so open to talk about it.

He didn't seem to be nervous about that at all. Somebody that was involved in a murder with that knife wouldn't be so open to talk about it.

Yes, I believe so.

Yes, I believe so.

The lady that picked up Devin and the other people from the train in Minot recorded them on video and was able to give us that video showing that they got off the train on Sunday evening about 9 p.m. 9.20, 9.30 p.m.

The lady that picked up Devin and the other people from the train in Minot recorded them on video and was able to give us that video showing that they got off the train on Sunday evening about 9 p.m. 9.20, 9.30 p.m.

Yes.

Yes.

Eventually, I ended up coming back to Wolf Point to talk more with her about the knife. And at that point, she had remembered that the knife that she was talking about had a wolf medallion on it and not an Indian headdress.

Eventually, I ended up coming back to Wolf Point to talk more with her about the knife. And at that point, she had remembered that the knife that she was talking about had a wolf medallion on it and not an Indian headdress.

At that point, we wanted to keep an open mind and investigate everybody that we could think of that would be somebody that would have crossed paths with Anita.

At that point, we wanted to keep an open mind and investigate everybody that we could think of that would be somebody that would have crossed paths with Anita.

It was definitely a loose end that we needed to tie up.

It was definitely a loose end that we needed to tie up.

We had an individual come forward and say, hey, I was running in the neighborhood, and he looked like the drawing.

We had an individual come forward and say, hey, I was running in the neighborhood, and he looked like the drawing.

There was nothing to indicate that he was doing anything else.

There was nothing to indicate that he was doing anything else.

There was mixtures of different DNA profiles on that knife, but nothing that we were able to ever turn into anything useful in the investigations.

There was mixtures of different DNA profiles on that knife, but nothing that we were able to ever turn into anything useful in the investigations.

I didn't like it, just knowing that we had this cold case.

I didn't like it, just knowing that we had this cold case.

He was a decent guy. He was very cooperative with us. What's Tyler like?

He was a decent guy. He was very cooperative with us. What's Tyler like?

There had been talk about them figuring out the apartment and going their separate ways.

There had been talk about them figuring out the apartment and going their separate ways.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

What did you learn from that? I learned that after doing that, I didn't feel that it was possible that the person that committed the homicide entered or exited out the window.

What did you learn from that? I learned that after doing that, I didn't feel that it was possible that the person that committed the homicide entered or exited out the window.

Somebody is there, kind of in her face, holding the knife to her neck.

Somebody is there, kind of in her face, holding the knife to her neck.

Because it shows that the only other person that would know these details are people that, or someone that was at the crime scene or somebody that did the murder.

Because it shows that the only other person that would know these details are people that, or someone that was at the crime scene or somebody that did the murder.

I was new to investigations, kind of wondered what direction we'd go in and are we going to solve this right away? Is it going to be difficult?

I was new to investigations, kind of wondered what direction we'd go in and are we going to solve this right away? Is it going to be difficult?

There were many possible suspects.

There were many possible suspects.

I believe they had police tape up already. The crime scene van was parked on the grass right out in front of the door, and detectives were inside the apartment.

I believe they had police tape up already. The crime scene van was parked on the grass right out in front of the door, and detectives were inside the apartment.

Yes, that's the front and only door going into apartment number five.

Yes, that's the front and only door going into apartment number five.

It is tough to swallow. I feel like Anita can— Knutson's family did not get justice. Anita didn't get the justice that she deserves.

It is tough to swallow. I feel like Anita can— Knutson's family did not get justice. Anita didn't get the justice that she deserves.

Just the layout, how many bedrooms it was, who all lived in the apartment, what was out of place.

Just the layout, how many bedrooms it was, who all lived in the apartment, what was out of place.

I could see that she was kind of flopped over, laying on her stomach. I noticed her room seemed to be in order.

I could see that she was kind of flopped over, laying on her stomach. I noticed her room seemed to be in order.

No, there did not seem to be a struggle at all. I had also looked around her bedroom and I noticed that her purse was there. I could see that there was cash in her purse. So I didn't feel like it had been any sort of a burglary or a robbery gone bad type of situation.

No, there did not seem to be a struggle at all. I had also looked around her bedroom and I noticed that her purse was there. I could see that there was cash in her purse. So I didn't feel like it had been any sort of a burglary or a robbery gone bad type of situation.

We could see that she had a stab wound to her right chest area and also a stab wound to her sternum area. And then we also noticed on the mattress that there was a five to six inch circle of blood where blood had drained from her body and soaked into the mattress.

We could see that she had a stab wound to her right chest area and also a stab wound to her sternum area. And then we also noticed on the mattress that there was a five to six inch circle of blood where blood had drained from her body and soaked into the mattress.

It appeared that somebody had used a knife and cut kind of a backwards L, cut into the screen.

It appeared that somebody had used a knife and cut kind of a backwards L, cut into the screen.

You needed a key, yes.

You needed a key, yes.

He was a person of interest of just knowing that he had knowledge of what was going on there or what happened there. So, of course, the maintenance guy would have access to keys.

He was a person of interest of just knowing that he had knowledge of what was going on there or what happened there. So, of course, the maintenance guy would have access to keys.