Matthew Anderson

The North Dakota Supreme has released its opinion affirming the conviction of a Minot man found guilty of murder.

Matthew Anderson, 36, Minot, was found guilty after a jury trial in June 2023 for the murder of accomplice Regina Goodale’s estranged husband, Wade Goodale, in 2022 after three days of testimony and three hours of deliberations. Anderson was later sentenced to life in prison without parole in November 2023.

Anderson appealed the conviction to the Supreme Court on the grounds the district court erred in denying his motion for acquittal.

The Supreme Court’s opinion concluded after a review of the record that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Anderson’s motion, and there was sufficient evidence to support the conviction.

Regina Goodale also appealed her guilty conviction for accomplice to murder, a Class A felony, to the Supreme Court after being sentenced to serve 35 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Goodale’s attorney, Kiara Krause-Parr, raised four issues during oral arguments on April 25, saying improper instructions were provided to the jury, the district court erred in finding sufficient evidence existed to convict Goodale, the pair’s cases were improperly joined and the imposed sentence was illegal.

The Supreme Court’s opinion on Goodale’s appeal is still pending.