Michael John Anderson

Craigslist murder suspect’s attorneys raise possibility of mental illness defense:

I should have seen this coming yet I was still surprised.

The attorneys for Michael John Anderson will be filing a motion stating that they might be using a mental illness defense for the murder of Katherine Ann Olson. They’re claiming that Anderson has Aperger’s syndrome. They’re basically claiming that he didn’t know the difference between right or wrong because of his Asperger’s. Last time I checked that’s not one of the effects of Asperger’s and is an insult to people who legitimately have it.

Aspereger’s patients have a hard time interacting socially because they are unable to detect things like sarcasm and some forms of humor. They also can be obsessed over a singular subject. It DOES NOT make you take an ad for a nanny job on craigslist for the sole purpose of shooting someone in the head.

This is not the first time I’ve read about a lawyer using this defense. For the most part this defense has been unsuccessful. If lawyers keep using this defense than people will begin to think that Asperger’s does make you criminally violent.

Grand jury hands up first-degree murder charges in Olson case:
A Minnesota grand jury handed down an indictment today of first degree murder for 19-year-old Michael John Anderson. Anderson is accused of killing 24-year-old Katherine Ann Olson after Olson answered a phony employment ad placed by Anderson.

When Savage police interviewed Anderson, he initially denied having contact with Olson.

Anderson then admitted to being present when Olson died. He said a friend killed the woman because he “thought it would be funny.”

However the evidence that’s been released mostly points to Anderson acting alone.

After a bloodied towel - with Anderson’s name inked on it and Olson’s smashed cell phone wrapped inside - was found in a nearby Savage park, authorities picked up Anderson from his job fueling airplanes at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. His phone number was the last one called on Olson’s phone.

Minnesota does not have the death penalty as much as this scumbag deserves it.

Trial Date Set in Minnesota Craigslist Murder:
A trial date of November 27th has been set for Michael John Anderson. 19-year-old Anderson is accused of luring Katherine Ann Olson to her death by posting a phony nannying job ad on craigslist then shooting her when she responded to the ad.

Bail set at $1 million for suspect in craigslist killing:
Bail was set at $1M for suspected craigslist killer Michael John Anderson. He’s the suspected killer of Katherine Ann Olson whose body was found a day after she responded to a phony employment ad on craigslist. It’s alleged that Anderson was the one who took out the ad.

An additional detail mentioned in the article is that they believe that Anderson shot her in the back of the head with a .357 Magnum.

Police believe Olson was killed in Anderson’s house sometime after she arrived Thursday morning. Investigators found blood splatters in the man’s bedroom and on his mattress, as well as bloody drag marks down the stairs of the home.

They also discovered a .357 Magnum and a shell casing from the gun in his room.

During Olson’s autopsy, a bullet was found in her stomach.

Authorities said there is no initial evidence of a sexual assault, but final results are not in, police said.

The man initially denied having contact with the woman, but eventually admitted to being present when she was killed. He said a friend killed Olson because he “thought it would be funny.”

At a press conference after the bail hearing, police claimed that only Anderson was involved in the killing.

More details as they become available.

Online nanny ad ends in slaying:
The employment ads on craigslist used to be the only trustworthy part of their site. They’re the only paid ads on the site. Those days are now over.

Katherine Ann Olson was a 24-year-old from Minneapolis who had used craigslist many times before to find nanny jobs. It seemed that the last one she answered was no different. That was until her body was found in the trunk of her car Friday night. She had responded to an ad looking for a nanny that she thought was placed by a married couple in Savage, MN. The ad was actually placed by a 19-year-old man who police believe is her killer.

Police aren’t releasing the suspect’s name or how Katherine Ann Olson was murdered. The suspect must be one sick SOB to take a paid ad out on craigslist just to kill an innocent woman.

I’ll post more information as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Being the expert blogger that he is Steve Huff has a more detailed post and the name of the suspect which is Michael John Anderson.