The Craig’s List Killer, Michael John Anderson Found Guilty of First Degree Murder of Katherine Ann Olson

Michael John Anderson, The Craig’s List Killer, who was charged with the murder of 24 year old Katherine Ann Olson has been found guilty on all charges. He was found guilty of the first degree and second degree murder of Olsen after luring her to his parent’s home with a fake babysitting ad that he placed on Craig’s List.

Michael John Anderson, 20, of Savage, was accused of killing Katherine Ann Olson, 24, of Cottage Grove on Oct. 25, 2007, at his parents’ home in downtown Savage after she answered a fake babysitting ad on Craigslist. He showed no emotion when the jury’s verdicts were read at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday night in Scott County District Court.

He was not only found guilty of first-degree murder, but he was also found guilty of the lesser charges of second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, and second-degree manslaughter, which has a maximum 10-year sentence.

The Scott County jury convicted Michael John Anderson on all six counts, including first-degree premeditated murder.

During the trial the defense tried to portray Anderson as a “dumb kid” who lured Olson to his parents’ home with “sexual intent, not murderous intent.” First of all, Anderson was 20 years old, hardly a kid. Secondly, great … Defense Attorney Alan Margoles tries to make his client out to be a rapist scum rather than a murdering one. Nice. One has to read the closing arguments and ridiculous theories put forth by the defense to truly understand how far these people will go to provide a defense of their client. Anderson’s attorneys argued that Anderson has a mild form of Autism called Asperser’s syndrome that led him to pull the trigger.

Anderson posted an advertisement for a babysitter on the classifieds website Craigslist.org and when Olson showed up at Anderson’s Burnsville home for the job he shot her.

Attorney Alan Margoles argued that Anderson, who didn’t testify during the weeklong trial, lured Olson over with no clear idea of why. He said that when she tried to leave, Anderson, who had no experience with women, fell back on his video game experience and pulled his father’s gun on her. He said Anderson then shot her accidentally when he tripped or flinched.

The convicted killer suffers from a mild form of Autism called Asperser’s syndrome and was able to devise a premeditated plan to lure the victim to his home, kill her and then systematically then devise a plan to get rid of her body. Seems pretty lucid to us.

Inside Anderson’s home, authorities found a gun and drag marks on the stairway. A few blocks away from the crime scene was Olson’s body inside her abandoned car at a park. Anderson was arrested a short time later at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where he fuels planes.

Maybe Anderson’s fellow inmate’s testimony of comments Anderson made in jail had a bit to do with the jury’s decision, let alone the evidence. A fellow inmate said the defendant in the Craigslist trial showed no remorse.

Pauly testified that he, Anderson and a third inmate, Joshua Young, were walking in the jail gym two days before Young’s release. The three had never discussed the charges against Anderson before, but Young asked, “Did you do it?”

Pauly said that in response, Anderson just shrugged, but Young pressed him as to why he wouldn’t plead insanity.

“He turned around and said, ‘Because then I’d have to pretend that I’m sorry,’” Pauly testified.

Pauly said that Anderson smiled as he said it. “I was speechless; I had been sticking up for him,” Pauly said.

UPDATE I: PHIL MARKOFF … YET ANOTHER CRAIG’s LIST KILLER