Wilma Schwartz's murder: 4 key details about the case

In March 2016, construction workers found 44-year-old Wilma Schwartz's body in the yard of an abandoned Antwerp house. She was fatally shot in the head and had been missing for a couple of days before the discovery was made. Two days later, her abandoned car was also located with incriminating evidence on the inside, including a blood-stained glove.

Daniel Zerbe, Wilma's longtime boyfriend, was implicated in her murder after surveillance footage and a handgun discovered in his possession were used to link him to the crime. Zerbe later pleaded guilty to a murder charge and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Wilma Schwartz's shooting death is set to feature on ID's The Murder Tapes on Thursday, August 17, 2023, in an episode titled Body in the Yard. The upcoming episode will air on the channel at 7:00 pm ET. The synopsis further reveals:

"When workers find a body on an abandoned property in western Ohio, it opens up a homicide investigation that sends shockwaves through the Amish community."

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Wilma Schwartz's shooting death: A missing person and a horrific discovery, among other details about the case

1) Wilma was listed as a missing person when her body was found

Wilma Schwartz and Daniel Zerbe (Image via Ohio Department of Corrections, National Gun Violence Memorial)

The Cinemaholic reported that Wilma Schwartz, a Fort Wayne mother-of-one, was reported missing by a neighbor on March 9, 2016. A couple of days later, on March 14, her dead body was found lying in the yard of an abandoned Anterwerp home by construction workers who arrived there to tear the place down.

Wilma died of a single, but fatal gunshot wound to the head. Police suspected she was murdered elsewhere before her body was dumped at the isolated location. Moreover, two days later, the victim's abandoned car with blood evidence on the inside was discovered about 40 miles from where the body was found.

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2) She had a criminal record and was in a rocky relationship with Daniel Zerbe

According to WANE 15, Wilma Schwartz was a troubled woman who had a criminal record including criminal conversion and theft. The outlet reported that she was scheduled for a court date in connection with a felony theft and criminal trespass case the same day her dead body was discovered.

Further looking into her life, detectives learned of her tumultuous relationship with a man named Daniel Zerbe who also had a criminal background mostly involving drug-related charges.

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3) Among other evidence, surveillance footage was used to find Wilma Schwartz's killer

Surveillance footage discovered during the investigation showed Wilma's then-boyfriend, Daniel Zerbe, accompanied by a woman named Lisa King, abandoning her car in the parking lot in Markle, Indiana, where it was eventually discovered.

The two were then picked up by Daniel's brother, LeRoy, who claimed he dropped them off at a hotel in Auburn. The suspect was also seen buying cleaning supplies from a local store.

Daniel was later arrested on unrelated charges when a 9mm handgun was found in his possession and was determined to be the murder weapon by ballistics. Moreover, records of a cell phone that was found in the car showed that it last pinged on March 9 near the abandoned house where her body was found.

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4) Daniel Zerbe pleaded guilty to a murder charge in 2017

Detectives believed Daniel Zerbe fatally shot Wilma Schwartz in her car and then dumped her body in the Antwerp property. He then tried to clean the vehicle of all evidence before abandoning it. Lisa King, who was seen with Daniel on the surveillance footage, cooperated with authorities to have the tampering with evidence charges against her dropped.

Eventually, Daniel pleaded guilty to murder in November 2017. As part of the plea deal, a firearms charge against him was dropped. He received 15 years to life in prison.

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The Murder Tapes on ID airs this Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 7 pm ET.