KENOSHA COUNTY, Wisc. (Court TV) — Zachariah Anderson was sentenced to life in prison two months after a jury convicted him of stalking and killing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
After nearly 10 hours of deliberation in March, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all four counts against Anderson.
Prosecutors said Zachariah Anderson, 42, murdered Rosalio Gutierrez Jr. in May 2020. His body has not been found.
A criminal complaint states Anderson had been stalking his ex-girlfriend, Sadie Beacham, and Gutierrez for weeks because he was “jealous of her new relationship.”
Anderson allegedly put a burner phone in Beacham’s car to track her movements, and used another GPS tracker and listening device to stalk the couple.
Gutierrez was reported missing May 19. Kenosha police detectives conducted a welfare check and discovered “large amounts of blood” throughout his apartment. Beacham immediately told the officers about Anderson’s alleged stalking.
Authorities found Gutierrez’s blood in Anderson’s Dodge minivan, which was also missing a large section of carpet and smelled of bleach, according to the complaint.
(L) Rosalio Gutierrez Jr., (R) Zachariah Anderson (Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
A smoldering burn pit was also located at Anderson’s home on May 19. A cadaver dog reportedly found pieces of clothing and a charred bleach bottle.
Authorities located a second burn pit at a nearby tree farm owned by Anderson’s family, where more clothing was reportedly found.
Anderson was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of stalking and one count of hiding a corpse.
Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder presided over the trial, who also presided over the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse and Mark Jensen’s 2008 trial.
Judge Schroeder sentenced Anderson to two years in prison followed by two years of extended supervision for each of the two counts of stalking, six years in prison and five years supervision for hiding a corpse, and life in prison for homicide. Schroeder said that Anderson would be eligible for early release 40 years following the completion of the first three counts. Each sentence was ordered to be served consecutively.
DAILY TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 17 – 5/16/23
- Several people delivered victim impact statements during sentencing, including Sadie Beacham, Anderson’s daughter, and Gutierrez’s mother.
- Anderson’s attorneys were not permitted to have witnesses testify to Anderson’s character
- Anderson addressed the court and maintained his innocence
- Judge Bruce Schroeder sentenced Anderson to two years in prison followed by two years of extended supervision for each of the two counts of stalking, six years in prison and five years supervision for hiding a corpse, and life in prison for homicide. Each sentence will be served consecutively and Anderson will be eligible for early release 40 years after the completion of the sentence for the first three counts.
DAY 16 – 3/22/23
- The jury found Zachariah Anderson guilty on all charges (stalking Sadie Beacham, stalking Rosalio Gutierrez Jr., intentional homicide and hiding a corpse)
DAY 15 – 3/21/23
- The jury hears closing arguments
- First day of deliberations last approximately five hours and 10 minutes.
- The jury asked two questions that appear to be related to the stalking charges.
DAY 14 – 3/20/23
- Anderson’s clothes showed no stains.
- May 18, 2020, (the day after Gutierrez disappeared) Anderson picked up his tax returns.
- In 2018, Anderson had a burn permit, therefore he was allowed to have controlled burns at his house.
- The defense rested.
- The state examined the possibility of two inmates conversing from different jail cells at the Kenosha County Detention Center.
DAY 13 – 3/17/23
- The state rested its case.
- Luminol was used to test the stains in Anderson’s van, this product can also react to bleach.
- Two people who lived near Gutierrez said that on May 17, 2020 around 8:00 PM they didn’t hear or see anything, and that around 10:00 PM they would’ve been asleep and wouldn’t have heard anything.
- Kim Lavora knew Gutierrez through FB Dating. She said they were friends even though Gutierrez wanted to take things further. She last spoke to Gutierrez on the phone on May 17, 2020 at 8:49 PM. She said she never met him in person.
- No GPS trackers were found on Gutierrez’s vehicle.
- Marquan Washington was recalled to the stand, he insisted he doesn’t try to jump on other people’s cases. In their questions, the defense asserted the DA indicated to Washington that they would go to bat for Washington if Washington testified for them.
- Nicholas Mcatee said Washington talked about jumping on other people’s cases. Mcatee said the state offered him benefits if he testified for them. Mcatee’s attorney said they had no knowledge of any agreement. Mcatee said he’s testifying for the defense because it’s the right thing to do.
- WATCH: Obsessed Ex-Boyfriend Murder Trial: Day 13
DAY 12 – 3/16/23
- Anderson appears to have purchased two tracking devices.
- Anderson appears to have been in the vicinity of Gutierrez’s home on May 13, 2020.
- Det. Correa walked through the scene, investigated a landfill, interviewed Anderson.
DAY 11 – 3/15/23
- The defendant’s 14-year-old daughter, who he shares with ex-girlfriend Sadie Beacham, took the stand
- The minor testified about a time when she went with Anderson on the early morning hours of April 25, 2020 to Beacham’s house, peered through the window, and saw Beacham with Gutierrez.
- The minor said she saw Anderson bring a chainsaw to her family’s tree farm to have other family members help him fix it.
- The minor said she was previously controlled by Anderson.
- The minor knew of Anderson owning a gun, said she had been threatened by it, though didn’t identify Anderson as the person who had threatened her with it.
- The state accused the defendant of making facial expressions to communicate with the minor.
- The defense accused Beacham of using sign language to communicate with the minor.
- A spectator in the gallery was ordered to leave because they were visibly reacting to the events taking place in court.
- The clerk witnessed the defendant attempting to communicate with the minor. As a result, the court will find a different clerk to finish the case.
- WATCH: Obsessed Ex-Boyfriend Murder Trial: Day 11
DAY 10 – 3/14/23
- Sadie Beacham concludes cross-examination, answering questions about her reactions and subsequent actions following Gutierrez’s disappearance.
- Detectives and Walmart employees show Anderson went to Walmart on May 18, 2020 to buy q-tips, Old Spice, shaver, garbage bags, gloves, sardines, and Clorox wipes.
- Beacham’s best friend talked about incidents where Anderson could be perceived as stalking Beacham.
- An FBI agent detailed the movements of Anderson’s phone on May 17, 2020, the day Gutierrez disappeared.
- An officer examined Anderson’s computer and found a folder with Gutierrez’s name on it.
- WATCH: Obsessed Ex-Boyfriend Murder Trial: Day 10
DAY 9 – 3/13/23
- The defendant’s ex-girlfriend, Sadie Beacham, takes the stand. Beacham was dating Guiterrez at the time he went missing.
- WATCH: Obsessed Ex-Boyfriend Murder Trial: Day 9
DAY 8 – 3/9/23
- Marquan Washington, who shared a jail cell with Anderson, said Anderson admitted to stabbing Gutierrez.
- Washington also said that Anderson detailed how he planned the killing – by getting to know Gutierrez, learning where he lived, what he drove, and when to be in a particular area to do the killing.
- Andrew Schultz, Anderson’s friend, said he was at Anderson’s place on May 19, 2020 and saw Anderson using his firepit. Schultz clarified on cross that Anderson routinely burns things from job sites.
DAY 7 – 3/8/23
- Michael Campbell, Gutierrez’s high school friend, went with Brandon Hendrickson, to Anderson’s residence. They spoke with Anderson, who misrepresented himself.
- Ron Witucki, from the Milwaukee State Crime Lab, peer-reviewed Lisa Treffinger’s report (on the DNA tests from Gutierrez’s apt), and reaffirmed her findings.
- Casalyna Remsburg, Christine Remsburg’s younger sister, said Anderson did not spend the night at their apartment on May 17, 2020.
- Marquan Washington, who shared a jail cell with Anderson, said Anderson believed the police were framing him and that he could beat their case.
- WATCH: Obsessed Ex-Boyfriend Murder Trial: Day 7
DAY 6 – 3/7/23
- Nereida Macias clarified that on May 17, 2020 she went to go meet Gutierrez to get to know him better but ended up at the wrong apartment. She never saw Gutierrez in person and was the last person to hear from him.
- Ofc. Shawn Giovannoni logged the bags of money and marijuana as evidence from Anderson’s residence.
- Brandon Hendrickson went with Michael Campbell to Anderson’s residence to ask if Anderson knew anything about what happened to Gutierrez. When Hendrickson and Campbell got there, they met Anderson but Anderson misrepresented himself at the time and said that he was Anderson’s brother.
- Aileen Noll mentioned a time when Gutierrez’s truck was broken into.
DAY 5 – 3/6/23
- Ofc. Jeffrey Van Wie’s opinion of the blood spatter is there were at least seven events that occurred in the Gutierrez’s apartment which led to the blood spatter patterns in various areas of the residence.
- Ofc. Van Wie searched a fire pit at Anderson’s residence & a fire pit at a tree farm
- Selia Patterson, Gutierrez’s mother, began cleaning up Gutierrez’s apartment. When she opened the fridge, she found his cell phone and other belongings inside.
DAY 4 – 3/3/23
- Christine Remsburg, Anderson’s ex-girlfriend, mistakenly told law enforcement Anderson was with her on May 17, 2020.
- Ofc. Eric Weidner collected blood evidence samples from Gutierrez’s apartment on May 19, 2020.
- Lisa Treffinger analyzed items from the crime scene for DNA. Her opinion on the pinhead dot dark stain found on a Dodge caravan is that it was blood but could not confirm if this belonged to Gutierrez.
- Kristy Raddatz-Ortiz, Gutierrez’s former partner, described Gutierrez’s involved presence in their son’s life, especially when it came to their son’s baseball career.
DAY 3 – 3/2/23
- Det. Lorn Anschutz responded to Gutierrez’s residence on May 19, 2020 and found what appeared to be blood running down the wall / door frame, wall, cabinet, ceiling, couch, etc.
- Det. Anschutz responded to Anderson’s residence on May 20, 2020, and observed a large firepit was smoldering.
- Marisa Swanigan, Gutierrez’s neighbor, on May 17, 2020, heard a loud hang below her living room, as if something had fallen / something big had been forced against a wall.
DAY 2 – 3/1/23
- The state withdraws their motion for mistrial. The defense will continue their opening statement Thursday.
DAY 1 – 2/28/23
- The prosecution delivers their opening statement
- The defense begins their opening statement
