A lawyer is facing murder charges after he allegedly beat his ex-wife to death in front of his young children. According to court documents obtained by KARE, Anders Odegaard, 31, and Carissa Odegaard, 31, were involved in a custody dispute over their five children after getting divorced last year.
Anders refused to let Carissa take their children to church, and an argument broke out between them. As the fight turned physical, two of their children ran outside and flagged down a stranger asking for help. When deputies arrived, they found Anders in his underwear, covered in blood, and Carissa lying on the ground with a pool of blood around her head.
She was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced brain dead the following day. She was kept on life support until her organs could be donated.
“We have had a horrible tragedy strike our family. Our oldest granddaughter was pronounced brain-dead tonight. She has five children ages nine to three. We were present when the children were told that their mama was dead by a professional at the hospital. That was traumatic for all. We need your prayers and strength from God’s hand,” Carissa’s grandfather wrote on Facebook, according to KVYL.
Anders was taken into custody and has been charged with second-degree murder. He was ordered held on a $5 million bond without conditions, a $2,500,000 surety bond, or $250,000 cash.