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Anita Carlson (10 of Spades, Minnesota)

July 8, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On June 30, 1987, 22-year-old Anita Carlson finished her late shift at Pete's Place, a gas station and convenience store at the crossroads of Highway 2 and 89 in Bemidji, Minnesota. She called her roommate Tina around 10:30 p.m. to say she'd be home soon. She never made it. The next morning, the store was unlocked, lights still on, one register open and empty, food stamps missing, and Anita's purse left behind under a coat rack. The town of Bemidji—known for its Paul Bunyan statues and as a gateway to the Mississippi River—was gearing up for the Fourth of July. Instead, the holiday weekend became a search for a missing young woman, and by its end, a homicide investigation that has remained unsolved for nearly 40 years.

The night Anita disappeared

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:34) **Case Introduction: Anita Carlson's Disappearance** - The episode introduces Anita Carlson, the 10 of Spades from Minnesota, who vanished on June 30, 1987, in Bemidji, just before the 4th of July.
  • 2 (03:02) **Setting the Scene: Bemidji and the Initial Response** - The podcast describes Bemidji as a small-town destination, and details the immediate response to Anita's disappearance.
  • 3 (08:52) **Anita's Life and the Search** - Investigators paint a picture of a promising young woman, while the search for her body faces significant challenges.
  • 4 (17:50) **Discovery of Anita's Body** - On July 5th, a searcher finds Anita's partially clothed body, revealing she was sexually assaulted and shot twice in the head.
  • 5 (20:03) **The "Good Doctor" Emerges as a Person of Interest** - Investigators learn about a suspicious customer, Dr. Stephen Burnham, who had been harassing Anita and becomes a key suspect.
  • 6 (22:02) **Interviewing Stephen Burnham** - Investigators interview Burnham, who lies about his identity and his knowledge of Anita, raising major red flags.
  • 7 (24:45) **Burnham's Web of Lies Unravels** - A deeper investigation reveals Burnham's extensive fabrications about his education, military service, and career.

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Show Notes

Our card this week is Anita Carlson, the 10 of Spades from Minnesota. 

In late June 1987, the town of Bemidji, Minnesota, was gearing up for Independence Day weekend. Celebrations quickly turned to panic when Anita Carlson, a college graduate with hopes of working in TV production, went missing from her nighttime job at Pete’s Place, a convenience store at the intersection of Highways 2 and 89. 

By the end of the weekend, Anita had been found dead. Nearly 40 years later, investigators are still trying to figure out what happened that night. 

  • Anyone with information about the death of Anita Carlson should call Crime Stoppers of Minnesota: 800-222-8477, or the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tip line is 1-877-996-6222.

 

View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/anita-carlson

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The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. 

Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!


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