Family friend jailed in death of 5-year-old girl

Charges could come as soon as Monday in the death of a central Minnesota girl. The disappearance of 5-year-old Alayna Ertl from her home in Watkins, Minn., prompted a statewide alert Saturday. A man described as a family friend is in custody.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner said a preliminary autopsy found Alayna died of "homicidal violence," but in news release, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension did not offer other details about her death, including when, where or how she died.

Alayna's family last saw her in their home in Watkins at 2 a.m. Saturday, the BCA said. Her mother discovered the girl missing six hours later.

Zachary Todd Anderson — a 25-year-old family friend who's lived in Coon Rapids and Monticello and who was staying with the Ertls in Watkins — was also gone along with the a pickup truck allegedly stolen from the house.

Deputies searched the neighborhood, canvassed businesses and examined video surveillance, but couldn't find Alayna. An Amber Alert went out at 1:12 p.m.

Along with the BCA, the Cass and Meeker County sheriff's offices are investigating.

Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze said Saturday evening that a cellphone in the vehicle allowed investigators to track the pickup for a time. Cruze said a tip from the public led law enforcement to a home in southern Cass County near the town of Motley.

"The suspect was located at the same location as her body, and we also located the vehicle at that same address," Cruze said.

The BCA said the truck was found on land owned by Anderson's family, but no one was around. Just before 4:30 p.m., K-9s found Anderson in woods about a quarter mile from a cabin on the property. The BCA said Anderson provided information that helped searchers discover the girl's body in a swampy area nearby.

Authorities say Anderson did not have a weapon, nor did he try to flee or resist arrest.

Anderson is being held in the Crow Wing County Jail in Brainerd on suspicion of first-degree murder and kidnapping. He does not have a history of serious crimes. Minnesota court records show only minor traffic violations. He's expected to appear in Cass County District Court Monday or Tuesday.

The news of Alayna's death has devastated people in her hometown of Watkins.

At Gordie's Bar on Central Avenue, owner John Kramer grew up with Alayna's father, Matt Ertl, and also knows Anderson from a local softball league. Kramer saw Anderson in the bar about a half-dozen times.

"He seemed like a decent guy. Everyone liked him. He always had a smile on his face. That's why I think it's so hard for everyone. They trusted him. He seemed like a good guy."

Just down the block from Gordie's, Darryl Thayer was out walking his dogs Sunday afternoon in McCarthy Park. The 80-year-old is one of many residents still rebuilding from the tornado that struck Watkins last month.

Thayer said the community came together in classic small-town fashion to pitch in with the cleanup, but the death of Alayna is a tragedy beyond comprehension.

"You don't know what to do. With a tornado, you get out and put your shoulder to the wheel, help your neighbor, your neighbor helps you," Thayer said. "But in a crime like this ... I'm just sick about it, and I'm going to be sick about it and everybody I know is going to be sick about it for quite a while."

Editor's note (Aug. 23, 2016). Anderson was initially described in an earlier version of this story as living in Monticello. Charging documents released Tuesday put his current residence in Coon Rapids.