A realtor who stopped by a Coon Rapids home for a routine roof inspection on Tuesday instead found the resident dead inside, with court records describing a dozen apparent stab wounds to her chest. The woman was identified as Katherine Paula Knauer, and investigators say several doors to the house were left unsecured when the realtor arrived.
According to KSTP, police received the realtor’s call Tuesday after she arrived at the home on the 900 block of 88th Avenue for the inspection. Once officers responded, they found Knauer in the kitchen with 12 apparent chest stab wounds, including three to the heart, court records show. The realtor told police the doors to the house were unsecured and said Knauer lived alone, adding that the two of them had been texting the night before.
As KARE 11 reports, the realtor said she found Knauer in the kitchen slumped over in her mobility scooter, and first responders confirmed she was deceased from apparent stab wounds. Investigators with the Anoka County Sheriff's Office are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
Questions About Missing Cash and Medication
Knauer's brother told police he had recently gone with her to the bank to withdraw $500, which investigators believe she intended to use to pay someone to clear leaves from her property, the same account notes. Neighbors reportedly told investigators that Knauer had been trying to hire someone to remove leaves from her yard.
When officers searched the home, they found a small amount of cash — less than $30 — along with prescription medication for Knauer that appeared to be missing a number of pills, per the same report. Investigators are still trying to determine whether medication is actually missing from the home as part of their broader review of the scene.
Investigation Ongoing, Few Details Released
A search warrant was filed to allow investigators to continue searching Knauer's home for evidence as the case develops. The Anoka County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing and said there is no known threat to the public, while declining to share additional information in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.
The case remains active, and officials have not detailed what led to Knauer's death beyond the injuries described in court records. KARE 11 describes the story as developing and says it will provide updates as more information becomes available.
