Fargo Man Found Not Guilty of Murder of Girlfriend in 2020

A Fargo man facing life in prison is found not guilty of a December 2020 murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — A Fargo man facing life in prison is found not guilty of a December 2020 murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend.

“We the jury duly impaneled and sworn in the above titled action due find the defendant Cody Raymond Plumlee not guilty of the crime of murder as charged in the amended information.”

The Jury of 11 women and one man came to an agreement on the verdicts after deliberating for about eight hours between two days.

The 29-year-old Plumlee is not guilty of murdering Kirsten Knaus.

The jury also found him not guilty of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment but did convict him of lesser charges of reckless driving, theft of property and giving false information to law enforcement.

“The defense lawyer has to believe a client, has to believe the cause has to believe the facts that they argue to the jury,” said Jeff Bredahl, Plumlee’s Attorney.

“He got hit in the eye with a pan causing stitches and in reaction he pushed back and how and what happened after that in 8.6 feet, I can’t tell you I wish I could,” Bredahl.

It was also noted that Knaus was on life support after her injuries and a tube connected to her was knocked out of place when she was flipped over by nurses for a bath.

Plumlee cried after the verdicts were read and said in court that he is grateful for the opportunity to raise his sons.

His attorney says with sentencing out of the way they look to move forward.

“Where he goes from here, he won’t rot in jail the rest of his life number one and he’s not a murderer. Number two, with good time credit, with additional benefits coming out of the department of corrections I anticipate maybe 90 days to 180 days and he’ll be released,”