Michael Anderson

Background

Michael John Anderson was an American formerly a resident of Savage, Minnesota.

Anderson was convicted in 2009 of murdering Katherine Ann Olson in October 2007.

Katherine Ann Olson was 24 years old and was a theater and Hispanic studies graduate of St. Olaf College. She also served as a temporary nanny.

The media dubbed Anderson a “Craigslist Killer,” a term for murderers who find victims by placing or responding to ads in Craigslist. The media described Anderson as the first killer given this title in news accounts. Prosecutors said Anderson created and posted a fake Craigslist advertisement “in order to lure a woman to his home so he might experience what it felt like to kill.”

The offence

On October 25, 2007, Anderson murdered Katherine Ann Olson in a Minneapolis, Minnesota suburb after seeing an ad for her services as a nanny on Craigslist.

Anderson met Olson through Craigslist. In online messages, Anderson posed as a married woman named “Amy” who was looking for nanny services, and he exchanged emails with Olson.

Olson arrived at Anderson’s parents’ house in Savage for an interview. When she arrived, Anderson shot her in the back with a .357 Magnum and put her body into the trunk of her car.

Authorities said Anderson then drove to Burnsville Nature Preserve and abandoned the car.

The car with Olson’s body in it was discovered on October 26, 2007. Authorities said Olson’s ankles were bound with red twine. Her purse, her smashed cell phone, and bloody towels—one of which bore Anderson’s name—were found in a garbage can nearby.

Authorities said there was no evidence of a sexual assault.

Police said they found the handgun and a shell casing in Anderson’s blood-spattered bedroom. A trail of Olson’s blood showed her body had been dragged down the stairs, and the steps had been cleaned but not the risers.

Investigation

Authorities said Anderson lured Olson to his family’s split-level house in Savage. They said that Olson showed up for a baby-sitting job between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday after being hired by “Amy” through a Craigslist ad.

Olson placed her last cell phone call to Amy’s phone just before 9 a.m.

Authorities said Anderson got Olson upstairs to his bedroom, where he shot her in the back with a .357 handgun, dragged her downstairs, and tied her ankles in red twine.

Authorities said Anderson stuffed Olson’s body in a sleeping bag in her trunk and drove five blocks away before ditching the car at Kraemer Nature Preserve in Burnsville.

Authorities said Anderson wrapped Olson’s crushed cell phone in a blood-smeared towel that had his name written on it with a black marker and stuffed it in nearby trash can. Authorities said Olson’s motive bewildered authorities and Olson’s friends.

Authorities said that at one point Anderson told police that another person had killed her and that a friend “thought it would be funny.” Authorities said evidence pointed to Anderson acting alone.

Scott County Attorney Patrick Ciliberto said:

“The only person who knows that right now is the defendant.” “There is certainly no sense in her death. She was a talented, bright young woman and her life is gone and there's no explanation for it.”

Authorities described their investigation as beginning after Olson’s purse was found in a garbage can in Savage. They found blood spatters in multiple locations at Anderson’s home, including on the stairs.

Savage police Capt. David Muelken described an account in which:

“A resident told a Savage Public Works employee about a purse found in a garbage can at Pacer Park. That employee notified police, and an officer got the purse, which contained things belonging to Olson.” “At first, it appeared to be a theft. Police called Olson's home and left a message telling her they had her purse.” “About 5 p.m. Friday, Olson's roommate returned the call and told police she hadn't been seen since 8 a.m. Thursday.” “Police went back to Pacer Park and found a garbage bag in the container.” “Inside the bag was a 'significantly bloody towel.'” “An extensive search of the park area yielded no clues.” “Savage police went through Olson's cell phone and credit card records to see if she had used either recently. They found nothing.” “Then they got some information that 'led them in a direction,' Muelken said.” “Meanwhile, a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter was called in to help.” “The pilot noticed a car in the parking lot of Rudy Kraemer Nature Preserve in Burnsville, which is a few blocks away from Pacer Park.” “Police identified the car as Olson's and searched it.” “Her body was found in the trunk.”

Muelken said an autopsy took place at the Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office in Hastings.

Muelken said it was an unusual homicide because often there is a relationship between the victim and suspect and that it was the first homicide in Savage since 2000, when Donald Robertson was believed to have killed his wife, Linda, before fatally shooting himself.

Muelken said before that, the last homicide in the city was the shooting death of a Bloomington man in 1976.

Authorities said police were cautious about details they released and did not say how Olson might have been killed or whether a weapon was used. Authorities also said they were not sure of a motive.

A warning appeared on the Craigslist site in the section of “Education” jobs, which includes ads seeking nannies and baby-sitters. Under the heading, “Warning -- for those who don't watch the news,” the ad read:

“Someone who answered a Craigslist ad for a nanny job ended up dead. Be careful out there.”

Susan MacTavish Best, a spokeswoman for Craigslist, said:

“It's important for people to be cautious 'whether you're responding to an ad in your local weekly newspaper, your gym notice board or on an online bulletin board.'” She said: “Craigslist doesn't monitor each individual listing or user, but is self-monitored by its community.” “Users can log complaints or flag suspicious postings, and Craigslist staff can block users from the site if terms of use are violated.” And she said: “Random acts of violence such as this cannot necessarily be known from what appears to be an honest ad.” “Still, there is a risk.”

Arrest

Anderson was arrested at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where he worked fueling planes. Airport police arrested him Friday night.

Anderson was held in the Scott County Jail after his arrest late Friday.

Trial

Anderson was charged in Scott County District Court with second-degree intentional murder.

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Michael John Anderson, 19, of Savage, with second-degree murder.

Prosecutors’ evidence included blood spatters in the suburban home Anderson shared with his parents, a gun in his bedroom, and drag marks on the stairway.

Defense attorney Robert M. Speeter said:

“I think in a case like this, we'll just let the judicial process take its course.”

Scott County Attorney Pat Ciliberto said that the evidence indicated Olson and Anderson did not know each other and that there was no evidence of sexual assault.

The weeklong trial resulted in Anderson being found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and other charges.

The prosecution’s theory was that Anderson ran a phony ad on the Craigslist classified-ad Web site in order to lure a woman to his home so he might experience what it felt like to kill.

The defense argued that the shooting was accidental.

Alan Margoles, Anderson’s lead attorney, said he planned an appeal because he had not been allowed to present evidence that Anderson had Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism.

Anderson declined to comment during or after the sentencing. Margoles conveyed Anderson’s “deepest regrets for his actions.”

Scott County District Judge Mary Theisen said from the bench:

“Why did you do this? You are the only one who knows and I won't pretend to understand it.”

Theisen added that Anderson was a “coward” when he shot Olson, who Theisen believed was “running for her life.”

Theisen said:

“You have shown no remorse and I have no empathy for you.”

Sentencing

Anderson was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole on April 1, 2009.

Judge Mary Theisen ordered Anderson to pay restitution of $6,500 from his prison wages to reimburse Olson’s family for her funeral expenses.

Rev. Rolf Olson said:

“Mr. Anderson is not just a murderer — he's a thief of the future of our family's joy.”

He said:

“He needs to be prevented from inflicting evil on anybody else's life ever again.”

He said he believed God would help Anderson to forgive and:

“in this situation, I don't sense that there is any hurry.”

Sarah Richter, Olson’s older sister, said:

“I'm haunted by Anderson's face, by Katherine's screams, the gun, her body in the trunk and now, the real bloody images of my sister,” and she added: “When will I sleep again?”

Appeals

Margoles stated he planned an appeal because Anderson had not been allowed to present evidence that Anderson has Asperger’s syndrome. Prosecutors said they had an equal number of psychologists who rejected the conclusion of Asperger syndrome.

Outcome

Anderson was found guilty of first degree murder and received a life sentence without parole on April 1, 2009.

Other details

Anderson’s age was described as 19 at the time of his charging.

Authorities described Olson as having been last seen Thursday morning before she went to meet someone in Savage about the job.

Olson’s roommate, Matt Thiede, told police that Olson had talked with “Amy” and commented that “the woman seemed kind of strange.”

According to police, Olson and “Amy” exchanged emails, including a message in which “Amy” asked Olson to baby-sit a child between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday.

A police account stated that the address and phone number provided to Olson matched Anderson’s address and cell phone number, and that the e-mail account with the name “Amy” was “one and the same with Michael John Anderson.”

Anderson told police he had nothing to do with the murder and denied phone contact with Olson before changing his story. When confronted with evidence, Anderson said he was present during Olson’s slaying but that the killing was committed by a friend who “thought it would be funny.”

A neighbor saw Olson’s car sitting in front of Anderson’s house for more than two hours Thursday.

Police said Anderson’s mother and three friends had access to the account he used.

Anderson worked nights at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.

Anderson was described as a paintball fanatic who dropped out of an alternative high school and was shy around women.

Neighbors described Anderson as never violent and seldom showing interest in women. Tony Dotson said:

“He would never raise a fist to anybody.” and: “He was always shy around girls. That's what baffles me.”

Dotson said:

“I'm still so confused on why.” and: “I don't even know what I'd say to him. I'm just blank.”

Anderson studied auto mechanics and dropped out from Cedar Alternative High School in Eagan.

Anderson was described as the youngest of Steven and Barbara Anderson’s three children.