Suspect in 5-year-old’s kidnapping, murder wants grand jury testimony for defense prep

WALKER, Minn. - The defense attorney for a Coon Rapids man accused in the murder and sexual assault of 5-year-old Alayna Jeanne Ertl last summer wants transcripts from a grand jury’s indictment released for review.
Zachary Todd Anderson, 25, appeared Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Cass County District Court, where public defender Corey Allen Harbott requested release of the documents.
Cass County Attorney Christopher Strandlie, who is prosecuting the case, said the request is common in cases in which a grand jury is convened.
In October, the grand jury indicted Anderson on 19 criminal charges, including first-degree murder, kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct.
“The defense has a right to have the transcripts, but since the grand jury is confidential, they need to ask the court to have them released,” Strandlie said in response to the request for transcripts.
Judge Jana M. Austad scheduled an April 12 hearing to address the admissibility of evidence in the case.
On Aug. 20, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing child.
According to the criminal complaint, Anderson was at Alayna’s house the night before and stayed overnight. When the girl’s parents woke up Alayna and Anderson were gone, as well as the family’s GMC Sierra truck.
Later that day, authorities tracked down Anderson and Alayna at Anderson's family’s cabin in rural Cass County, where deputies and other law enforcement officers swept the area and found Anderson, who was in knee-deep water in a swampy area.
The complaint states Anderson eventually told investigators where Alayna was hidden and officers found the girl’s deceased, naked body completely submerged in the water and hidden under some brush and other debris.
The initial findings of Alayna’s autopsy indicated the cause of death was homicidal violence due to strangulation with other evidence of blunt force trauma to the victim’s head. The forensic examination of the victim also revealed evidence of a sexual assault.
If convicted, Anderson could be sentenced to life in prison.