David Unze

dunze@stcloudtimes.com

A former Monticello man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing a Watkins girl is scheduled to be in court Monday to ask a judge to dismiss murder charges against him and suppress evidence gathered during the investigation.

Zachary Todd Anderson, 26, is charged with murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the death of Alayna Jeanne Ertl, 5. She was taken from her Watkins home in August and found later the same day in a swamp near Anderson's family cabin in Cass County.

A court complaint charging Anderson accuses him of taking Ertl in the early hours of Aug. 20 after Anderson stayed the night at Ertl's home after playing softball and going out with Ertl's father.

The criminal complaint charging Anderson indicates that he had slashed his wrist and was standing in knee-deep water when investigators encountered him in the woods outside a cabin on Iroquois Loop Trail near Motley. He was arrested without incident and eventually helped lead authorities to Ertl's body nearby.

Man charged in killing of Watkins girl

An autopsy determined that Ertl died from strangulation and other evidence of blunt force trauma to her head, according to the complaint.

Court filings show that Anderson's attorney intends to ask a judge to dismiss the indictment against Anderson, arguing that there was lack of probable cause to indict Anderson and alleging that Anderson's constitutional rights were violated by investigators. Anderson is also asking the judge to suppress evidence because of constitutional violations and improper searches.

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