MN - Carissa Odegaard, 31 Beaten to Death by Prosecutor/Ex in Front of Their Children 24 Aug 2022

[tlcya]

Former Prosecutor Charged With Beating Ex-Wife To Death In Front Of Their Children​

Two of Carissa and Anders Odegaard's five children flagged down a passerby after their dad allegedly attacked their mom, who was holding their 2-year-old sibling in her arms.

A former prosecutor is in custody after investigators say he mercilessly beat his ex-wife to death in front of their horrified children.

Anders Leland Odegaard, 31, was initially arrested on Tuesday on charges of assault for the beating of his former wife, Carissa Odegaard, 31, at his Warren, Minnesota home — about 110 miles north of Fargo, North Dakota. Those charges, however, were upgraded to second-degree murder after the victim succumbed to her injuries at a Fargo hospital on Wednesday night, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Oxygen.com.
Former Prosecutor Charged With Beating Ex-Wife To Death In Front Of Their Children | Oxygen Official Site

A Minnesota lawyer accused of beating his ex-wife to death in front of their children has been charged with second-degree murder.

An 8-year-old who witnessed Tuesday's deadly assault told officials that his parents had been arguing about whether his mother, Carissa Odegaard, could take the children to church, according to a probable cause statement filed in Minnesota’s 9th Judicial District Court.


Anders Odegaard, 31, did not want her to, the child told authorities, according to the complaint. The child said his parents also fought about his 2-year-old brother, whom his mother was holding during the assault, according to the document.
Minnesota lawyer is accused of beating his ex-wife to death in front of their kids

And she loved a little boy very much, even more than she loved herself” (Shel Silverstein).

Carissa Joy Odegaard, 31, East Grand Forks, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, friend, creative photographer, pumpkin spice connoisseur, child of God, “slipped the surly bonds of earth” on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND, leaving behind her precious children: Owen, Levi, Ezekiel, Nora, and Oscar.

Carissa Joy was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Corinda Woinarowicz. When Carissa was three years old, Leslie Woinarowicz fell in love with both mother and daughter, and they became a family. Living in Bemidji, MN, Grafton, ND, and Glyndon, MN, the family grew to include Anna, Emily, and Dezzy over the years.

After high school, Carissa completed an associate’s degree in graphic design and recently earned a certificate in medical coding. She was a favorite photographer of many. She embraced creative living. Her one-of-a-kind crochet designs and other creative endeavors helped to pay the bills. Actively involved in her church, the peace of God radiated even when life was hard. She made being a mom her greatest privilege, so elegant with each of her children’s personalities, giving them tools to succeed while cheering them on with their individual interests. Since the birth of Owen, she participated in a local mom’s group, forming friendships that impacted her and others greatly. Although quiet, she had an infectious smile and made friends easily.

She is preceded in death by Ernest Woinarowicz (grandfather), Thomas Keenan (uncle), Gary Woinarowicz (uncle), and Andrew Torrey (cousin).

Carissa will be deeply missed, but her selfless example lives on in our hearts.

Service date and time to be announced shortly.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Community Credit Union for the children of Carissa Odegaard.
Obituary | Carissa Joy Odegaard of East Grand Forks, Minnesota | Amundson Funeral Home

 

[tlcya]

The documents allege that when the deputy entered Odegaard's home, they found him wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs and had blood on his face and hair. "I don't feel right," he allegedly told the officer.

The deputy then saw 31-year-old Carissa Odegaard lying in the doorway in a pool of blood. She was rushed to the hospital. She was pronounced brain dead on Wednesday.
[snip]
The documents state that the 9-year-old told officers that he believed that his father had beaten his mother with a knife or spatula. The 8-year-old allegedly said that Anders had beaten Carissa to the floor and was "on top of her choking her." The documents also allege that the couple's 2-year-old child was too "traumatized" to respond to authorities' questions
Mother of 5 Was Allegedly Beaten to Death by Ex-Husband as 'Traumatized' Kids Watched

already trying to set up his defense. MOO

 

[cocomod]

The fact that he was fired from so many attorney positions over the last couple of years says a lot to me! He IS already trying to set up a defense, but I suspect we will hear that he has been abusive in the past. MOO

 

[tlcya]

Carissa's FB page
She seemed very well loved and a devoted mother to her children. Just so heartbreaking for them. They've effectively lost both parents in one fell swoop. And for three of them to have witnessed how it all ended. Just so sad. May they get the long term support needed to process what they've lived through.

 

[tlcya]

WARREN, Minn. — A former North Dakota prosecutor and public defender has been charged with the murder of his ex-wife in far northwestern Minnesota.
Former N.D. prosecutor accused of fatally beating ex-wife in presence of children at Minnesota home

Anders Odegaard, who was born in Grand Forks, graduated from UND Law School, and is licensed to practice law in North Dakota, worked for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem from April 30, 2018 to November 23, 2019. The Attorney General’s office confirmed to KFGO News on Thursday that Odegaard was terminated for cause from his position as a lawyer for the State and Local division.
[snip]
Odegaard then took a job with the state’s Insurance Department, working for Commissioner Jon Godfread for six months. A spokesperson for the Insurance Department says Odegaard resigned from that position in May of 2020.
Man accused of killing ex-wife was lawyer for North Dakota Attorney General - KVRR Local News

According to Fargo, North Dakota television station KVLY, Odegaard also told a judge this week that he was neither a risk to public safety nor a risk to his five children — at least some of whom allegedly witnessed the violent and deadly attack.
[snip]
The defendant can post bail by offering a combined $250,000 cash and $2.5 million bond with most of the usual conditions attached. Among them were the surrender of a passport, an agreement to remain in the state of Minnesota, and that the defendant would have “no contact with his minor children until further order of the court.”
[snip]
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for Aug. 30 at 9:00 a.m.
Former Prosecutor Charged with Murdering Ex-Wife in Front of Their Children Claims He's Not a Risk to His Kids

Court documents say when a deputy went inside Odegaard’s home, he came out from the kitchen in just boxer-style briefs with looked to be blood smeared on his left eyebrow and blood in his hair. When asked what was going on, documents say Odegaard said, “I don’t feel right.” The deputy soon saw Odegaard’s wife, 31-year-old Carissa, laying in the entry or the front doorway and appeared to have severe head trauma with blood pooling on the floor.
[snip]
When deputies asked Odegaard if he was willing to talk to investigators, documents say the only thing Odegaard would say was, “I don’t feel right.”
[snip]
The 9-year-old told deputies he has seen his father hit his mother before, but usually with his hand.*
Young kids watched, called for help as their father brutally beat mother, court docs allege
[ @cocomod - you called it*]

Court records show the Odegaards married in May 2011 and officially divorced on Sept. 16, 2021, on the grounds that their marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The slaying comes just days before the ex-couple was due in court for a review hearing.
Half-naked lawyer beat ex-wife to death in front of children: officials

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Why are there no charges about child endangerment!?

I feel so incredibly and deeply sad for the children. They will grow up without their mom, and probably have severe trauma and PTSD/CPTSD, for the rest of their lives. This is beyond devastating.

mOO

 

[JoeFromLB]

He shouldn't be released on bail of any amount, imo.
This man is deranged, but of course that will be his 'defense'.
Those poor children. Heartbreaking.
Rest in peace to their loving mother.

 

[tlcya]

Everyone was in Anders Odegaard's backyard, and he started an argument over wanting the children to remain with him, the boys said. The couple's two middle children had already been placed in their mother's running car when the physical fight began. According to the couple's 8-year-old son, Carissa Odegaard had picked up and was carrying the couple's 2-year-old when Anders Odegaard escalated the argument to a physical fight over the toddler. Their 8-year-old said that his father then began to strike his mother with a burger flipper he had outside, and she had a cut on her arm when he managed to get his youngest brother away from his parents and take him away to rinse his mother's blood off the toddler.

The 9-year-old also said he saw his father using either a flipper or a knife on his mother, though the boy said that Anders normally just hit Carissa with his hands, according to the charging documents.
Prosecutor Who Allegedly Beat Ex-Wife To Death In Front Of Their Kids Objects To No-Contact Order | Oxygen Official Site

 

[cocomod]

How heartbreaking! These children will need extensive counseling to overcome the violence their father seemed to deem normal!

Of course he objects to the no-contact order. It is ALL about him of course, not what is best for the children. Narcissist!

 

[Kip]

This guy should not be released. A no-contact order is a piece of paper. That won't stop him if he decides to kill his family and himself.

Heartbreaking all around. And that one child said the dad usually just uses his hands to beat his wife.

 

[cvaldez1975]

he prob beat her for years and convinced her no one would believe her because of his position. he prob told her not to bring it up in the divorce or else he would fight for the kids. the marraige prob ended because HE wanted to end it. worst of the worst. those poor babies and their mom.

 

[tlcya]

in the end, this will have been about control. As usual with abusers, the loss of control is what triggered him.

SPECULATION: How dare she come to pick up the kids at the appointed time and insist they leave at that appointed time since they had plans to attend church. Couldn't she see he had just thrown some food on the grill? Couldn't she just skip church and let the kids eat with him? The audacity of her insisting on going by the visitation schedule. Like some sort of stickler, just like her, always finding fault, always making him look bad. It's her fault he can't keep a job, her fault they have all these kids he has to support, her fault he is saddled with debt. Everything is her fault.

This is how I imagine it went that day. Just IMO - no links

 

[cocomod]

he prob beat her for years and convinced her no one would believe her because of his position. he prob told her not to bring it up in the divorce or else he would fight for the kids. the marraige prob ended because HE wanted to end it. worst of the worst. those poor babies and their mom.

When the child said, he normally just beats her with is fists, it did it for me. He is a control freak for sure. These poor kids! They lost the light they had in their lives. Her smile and gentle nature.