By David Lohr
October 31, 2007
SAVAGE, MN (Crime Library) — Police have charged Michael John Anderson, 19, with the second-degree murder of 24-year-old Katherine Ann Olson, a young woman police say was murdered after answering a babysitting ad posted on the Internet website Craigslist.org.
"On or about October 26, 2007, in Scott County, Minnesota, Defendant Michael John Anderson, DOB 10/16/1988, caused the death of a human being with intent to effect the death of that person or another, but without premeditation, to-wit: Katherine Ann Olson," reads the criminal complaint filed in Scott County District Court yesterday.
|
Katherine Ann Olson |
Police say Michael John Anderson lured Katherine Ann Olson to his house using a classified ad he had placed at Craigslist.org, seeking a nanny. Emails sent to Katherine Ann Olson from Michael Anderson's AOL email account using the pseudonym "Amy" detailed a babysitting position at 12649 Kipling Ave., an address that traces back to Anderson's home. The emails also included a cell phone number police determined to be Anderson's. Cell phone records furthermore indicated that someone had spoken to Katherine Olson Thursday morning, using Michael Anderson's cell phone.
|
Michael John Anderson |
Michael Anderson initially denied involvement in Katherine Olson's murder and said that he had not used Craigslist.org since January 2007. However, when entered into Google, Anderson's cell phone number, listed in the criminal complaint as 952-201-4064, matches a number listed in a classified ad at Webtraderclassifieds.com. Within the ad, the seller, identified as MAnderson87, lists his email address as workindew2@aol.com. That email address is also listed on two Craigslist.org classified ads that were placed on October 23 and 24.
During questioning, police revealed that Michael Anderson's name was written in black marker on the blood-soaked towel they recovered from the garbage can Friday at Pacer Park. In addition, police also found Katherine Olson's smashed cell phone wrapped up inside the towel.
The most damning evidence in the case was found at Michael Anderson's Kipling Ave. home. The criminal complaint alleges that blood splatter was found in Anderson's room and on his mattress. Bloody drag marks were also observed on a stairway.
"While the bottom of each individual stair had apparently been cleaned, the riser of each stair had not been cleaned and had blood stains," reads the criminal complaint. "At the bottom of the stairs, there were two drag marks and spots of blood."
Next Page