Zachary Todd Anderson Raped and Killed His Friend's 5-year-old daughter

A 27-year-old Minnesota man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after admitting to kidnapping, raping, and strangling to death his friend's five-year-old daughter.

Zachary Todd Anderson abducted Alayna Ertl from her home in Watkins, about 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis, in the early morning hours of August 20, 2016.

Later that day, Alayna's body was found in a swamp.

Anderson has been charged with homicide, criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, and theft of a motor vehicle.

According to Cass County Attorney Benjamin Lindstrom, who prosecuted the case, the obligatory penalty in Minnesota for this offense is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Lindstrom said Anderson admitted his guilt and revealed the facts of the murder in court as family members and officials listened.

In October 2016, a grand jury indicted Anderson on 19 criminal counts for Ertl's death. Anderson pled not guilty to all 19 criminal allegations against him in October, including first-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, felony kidnapping, and tampering with a dead corpse.

Anderson pled guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual behavior, and sexual penetration.

Anderson was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole immediately after entering his guilty plea.

Alayna died as a result of homicidal assault, which included strangulation and blunt force damage to her head, according to an autopsy.

According to the criminal complaint, the child had also been sexually assaulted.

The Background Story

Anderson was a family acquaintance who had spent the night at the Ertls' home on Friday.

Alayna was last spotted getting into bed at 2 a.m. on August 20.

By the next morning, she and Anderson had vanished, along with the family's 2002 GMC Sierra pickup.

Authorities searched the neighborhood for Alayna. When Alayna was not located during the search, the Meeker County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The police issued an Amber Alert at 1:12 p.m.

When Anderson's father learned about the abduction, he contacted the sheriff's office and stated that he suspected his son was involved.

He stated that Anderson had called earlier that day to request permission to visit their family property near Motley.

He was caught several hours later at his family's cabin in Motley, about 80 miles north.

The stolen 2002 GMC Sierra was discovered in a wooded area near the cabin, according to investigators.

Police informed the station they also discovered a bloodied suicide note.

Anderson was apprehended shortly after police began searching for him in knee-deep water in a swampy region. He was claimed to have open wounds on his left wrist.

He told police that Alayna was hiding in the swamp under some rubbish. He then took them to the place. Officials discovered the small girl's pink blanket peeking out from the water's brush.

They scouted the area and discovered the child's lifeless body submerged in water and buried under vegetation. Alayna's body was found in rural Cass County near Wilderness Park, just outside of Motley.

Anderson was Ertl's father's coworker who had previously lived at the house. Alayna's funeral was attended by approximately 1,000 people at the local church in Watkins a few days later.

Anderson was convicted of murdering Ertl by a grand jury in October 2016 and sentenced to life in prison.

Anderson had spent time in the Crow Wing County Prison in Brainerd before being sent to a state prison to serve his life term.

References:

Father's co-worker is jailed for life after admitting he snatched his 5-year-old daughter from her bed, raped and strangled her and dumped her in a swamp

Alayna Ertl's killer gets life in prison