Kollie Trial: Suspect repeatedly tells detectives he doesn’t recall killing teen girl in new trial video

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - The words of an alleged killer were the center of focus for 12 jurors today in the third day of the murder trial of Arthur Kollie who is accused of the brutal attack on 14-year-old Jupiter Paulsen in a Fargo parking lot last summer.

Time and time again jurors heard the same phrase come out of Kollie’s mouth in a June 4 interview with Fargo Police detectives: “I don’t recall.”

Despite detailed accounts to detectives which put himself at several locations across Fargo in the minutes and hours after prosecutors say Kollie killed Paulsen, when asked if Kollie was at the scene of the crime that morning, the Party City parking lot, Kollie clammed up.

“I have the clothes you were wearing, ok? And they have blood all over them. Do you remember this?” Fargo Police detective Josh Loos said.

“I don’t recall,” Kollie said.

“Arthur.”

“I don’t recall,” Kollie says again.

“Listen, you’re super detailed about what’s been going on here today. You seem like a decent enough guy,” Det. Loos said.

Kollie told detectives he had smoked meth the day before the attack and that he sometimes talks to himself, both which he claims makes him not remember things. And when officers later left the interview room, cameras caught Kollie talking and singing to himself.

“From the woods,” he says as he looks down at cuts on his hands. “Walking in the woods! Walking in the woods! Walking in the woods!”

Kollie told officers he threw his backpack away in the woods near downtown Fargo because he ‘didn’t need it anymore.’ This, despite prosecutors telling jurors last week the backpack, as well as his bloodied t-shirt and Paulsen’s belongings were found in an apartment dumpster. Kollie admitted to being at that apartment to officers, but stated he was there to look for a friend.

Prosecutors also played a 911 call Kollie placed four hours after the attack. He told dispatchers he needed a ride to the federal building because he was ‘in an altercation’ and hurt his foot.

In the interview with detectives, Kollie also denied knowing or ever seeing Paulsen and told officers the cuts on his hands came from the woods.

Testimony will resume Tuesday at 9 a.m., and officials expect it to be the last day for the state to call witnesses. It’s still unclear if Kollie will take the stand.

Jupiter’s family says they feel like they’re one day closer to justice and closure.

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