Episode 28: The Murder of Anita Carlson
On June 30th, 1987 22-year-old Anita Carlson had a lot to be excited about. Two months before she’d graduated with honors from Bemidji State University with a degree in communications and she’d already been offered a job at a television station. The upcoming weekend was an exciting time for residents in Bemidji. It was the fourth of July and many people celebrated by visiting the Water Carnival.
Anita had no reason to suspect her future was anything but bright. Sadly, her promising life would come to a bitter end when she abducted from Pete’s Place West, a convenience store where she was working the night shift. A week later her body would be discovered in a heavily wooded area.
Show Sources:
The Bemidji Pioneer: The Vault: The 1987 murder of Anita Carlson in northwestern Minnesota remains unsolved 34 years later
Newspaper Archives:
Star Tribune, 7/7/1987, Town falls back on routine as it tries to accept horror of store clerk’s death
Star Tribune, 7/8/1987, Search goes on for store clerk’s abductor, killer
Star Tribune, 8/13/1987, Profile See Several Participants in Slaying
Chippewa Herald Telegram, 8/14/1987, Sheriff says link to Wisconsin slayings is being investigated
The Winona Daily News, 11/29/1987, Bemidji Drumming Up Awareness of Violence
Star Tribune, 7/1/1988, Bemidji still uneasy one year after murder of 22-year-old woman