ANNANDALE, MN – A Minnesota man has been arrested for fatally stabbing his wife of more than 65 years, with authorities revealing the grim details of the crime and the suspect’s immediate confession.
Rodney Allen Andersen, 85, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Janet Louise Andersen, 82. According to Wright County prosecutors, the incident occurred on the morning of September 12, when Rodney Andersen called 911 to report the stabbing.
Prosecutors allege that Andersen used a large kitchen knife to attack his wife during an argument. Andersen himself informed dispatchers about the attack and directed them to the location of the weapon, indicating where he had placed it in the sink afterward.
Responding officers were informed that Andersen would meet them at the front door of the couple’s home on Knollwood Street West in Annandale, a town situated approximately 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Upon arrival, officers found Andersen on the steps just inside the front door. After attempts to communicate with him using a public address system and a phone call were unsuccessful, officers entered the home to check on the welfare of his wife.
Inside, authorities discovered Janet Andersen lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. According to the charging document, she had multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, and despite officers’ and paramedics’ efforts, she was declared dead at the scene.
During his police interview, Rodney Andersen recounted the morning’s events, explaining that he and his wife had “continuously argued” throughout their long marriage. On the day of the incident, a particularly intense argument began around 7 a.m. and escalated until the fatal stabbing occurred. Andersen admitted that he had “lost his head” during the altercation and grabbed a knife from the kitchen butcher block but was unsure of how many times he stabbed his wife.
Following his arrest, Andersen’s bail was set at $1 million with conditions or $3 million without conditions. He is expected to appear in court again on September 19.
