Zachariah Anderson: What we know about Wisconsin man on trial for killing ex-partner’s lover

FOR The Wisconsin father is currently on trial for the brutal murder of his former partner’s new lover, whom he allegedly tracked down and beat to death with an object before disposing of his remains.

Zachariah Anderson, 42, is accused of killing Rosalio Gutierrez Jr, 40, in his Wood Creek apartment in May 2020.

Gutierrez, 40, was dating Mr Anderson’s former girlfriend, Sadie Beacham – with whom the accused killer shares three children.

Prosecutors allege Mr Anderson was jealous of the new relationship and stalked his love rival.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anderson’s defense says the state has not investigated any other potential suspects.

The 42-year-old is currently on trial in Kenosha County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree intentional homicide, concealment of a corpse and criminal harassment. He faces life imprisonment.

Here’s what we know about the case:

disappearance

Guttierez was last seen or heard from on May 17, 2020.

Two days later, a worried Ms Beacham went to his house to check on him after she was unable to contact him.

When she arrived at her apartment, she found the patio door open and blood on the floor, furniture and ceiling of the house.

A carpet was also missing from the property, she told investigators.

Ms Beacham contacted police who carried out a wellness check at Gutierrez’s home.

Inside, investigators found large amounts of blood and signs of a struggle, according to a criminal complaint.

The victim’s body was never found, but investigators believe he died due to the volume of blood found in his apartment.

murder

On the evening of May 17, 2020, prosecutors allege Mr. Anderson went to Gutierrez’s apartment and brutally killed him with blunt force because he was jealous of his relationship with his former partner.

He would then have disposed of Gutierrez’s body.

The day after Gutierrez was last seen alive, he was spotted in surveillance footage at a local WalMart where he bought garbage bags, latex gloves and bleach wipes .

He also bought cans of sardines.

Investigators got closer to Mr Anderson when Ms Beacham revealed she believed her ex was tracking her movements.

On the days that Guttierez’s death was discovered, officers found smoldering fire pits both at Mr Anderson’s home and on his farm, along with the remains of a bleach bottle and the clothes of the accused killer among the ashes.

Prosecutors said Guttierez’s DNA was later found inside Mr Anderson’s work van and there was evidence the interior had been cleaned with bleach.

Parts of the vehicle’s interior carpeting had also been removed.

Bizarrely, two open and uneaten cans of sardines were also discovered under the front passenger seat, the criminal complaint states.

Stop

On May 21, 2020, Mr. Anderson was arrested and charged with two crimes of criminal harassment.

In December, he was also charged with homicide and concealment of a corpse.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Jealousy and stalking

During his high-profile trial, jurors heard that Mr Anderson was jealous of his former partner’s new relationship and was spying on the couple.

On March 15, Mr Anderson’s 15-year-old daughter testified that her father had asked her to spy on her mother and record “every time my mother got angry”.

She testified that he “frequently” brought up Guttierez when she saw him.

Then, shortly before Guttierez disappeared, Mr Anderson also allegedly took his daughter with him to spy on the couple.

On the night of April 24 – less than a month before the murder – she said her father drove them both to her mother’s house to watch Ms Beacham and Gutierrez through the window.

Anderson also walked through Gutierrez’s truck and took photos of the license plate and vehicle registration, she said.

He then rang the doorbell of the house and fled, she said.

The teenager also testified that her father told her about his intention to follow his love rival – which he called a racial slur.

“He said something about showing him who this man was, and I didn’t quite understand, but you kind of understood things that my dad was referring to or implying,” he said. she stated.

“My dad said to me, he said ‘I can just watch him or follow him home once just for fun.’ Those are his exact words to me.

The chaos of the courtroom

A dramatic moment unfolded in the courtroom on March 15 when Mr Anderson appeared to send a signal warning his teenage daughter to stop talking as she testified against him.

Mr Anderson was seen putting his hand over his mouth and pursing his lips as he watched his 15-year-old daughter in the witness box at Kenosha County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors accused the defendant of reporting to his daughter while she was testifying.

Meanwhile, the defense also accused Ms Beacham of using sign language to communicate with her daughter on the stand.