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As of March 17, 2023, Zachariah Anderson is under trial for the May 17, 2020, disappearance of Rosalio Gutierrez. According to Law&Crime, prosecutors have accused Anderson of murdering Gutierrez after the victim began a relationship with Anderson's ex-girlfriend, Sadie Beacham.
While Gutierrez's body was never recovered, investigators stated that they found a burn pit on Anderson's property, where they discovered remnants of what appeared to be Gutierrez's clothing.
Prosecutors believe that Anderson may have targeted Gutierrez due to jealosy. Along with the physical evidence against Zachariah Anderson, his now 14-year-old daughter has also testified that the suspect spied on the victim for a sustained period before the disappearance.
Zachariah Anderson had allegedly bought several items from a nearby Walmart
Officials said that in the aftermath of Gutierrez's disappearance, Anderson was immediately identified as a person of interest, as he had been accused of stalking the victim and Sadie Beacham. On May 19, 2020, investigators found a large burnt patch of land on Anderson's property.
On May 20, 2020, investigators utilized cadaver dogs to inspect the burn pit. They discovered what appeared to be a bleach bottle, as well as pieces of clothing that resembled what Gutierrez had worn prior to his disappearance. Authorities also found a second burn pit on Anderson's family farm, where they also found remnants of clothing. The pieces of clothing included socks, underwear and buttons from Levi jeans.
Upon searching Zachariah Anderson's minivan, investigators discovered traces of bleach, as well as blood samples that matched Gutierrez's DNA. Parts of the mini-van's carpet had also been removed. This led them to harbor strong suspicions against Anderson, as substantial amounts of blood were also found in Gutierrez's apartment after he disappeared. During her testimony, Anderson's 11-year-old daughter said that when she last saw the minivan before the victim's disappearance, the signs of bleach were not present.
Authorities revealed that after Gutierrez's disappearance, surveillance cameras in a Walmart near one of Anderson's properties revealed that he had bought suspicious items. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed that the suspect's purchase included two packages of garbage bags, two bleach wipe containers and two boxes of latex gloves. Prosecutors argue that the shopping list indicates that Anderson may have attempted to hide evidence.
Vicente Correia, a detective investigating the case, said that officials also searched Zachariah Anderson's phone search history for signs of suspicious behavior. It was revealed that besides the visit to Walmart, the suspect had searched for other general stores in the area.
Anderson's cellmate, Marquan Washington, testified that the suspect had indicated that he made the body disappear.
Washington said:
“(Zachariah Anderson) told me they called him Houdini because of his case, and he basically made a body disappear."
Anderson has pleaded not guilty to the homicide charges.
