Murder in Dodge County; Zachariah Rasch charged in wife's death

DODGE COUNTY, Wisconsin. – Charges have now been filed in connection with the death of a Dodge County woman. 43-year-old Zachariah Rasch is accused of first-degree premeditated murder and concealing a body in connection with the death of his wife, Crystal.

Rasch, 37, was first reported missing from rural Clyman on June 23. The sheriff's office later said her husband, Zachariah Rasch, was arrested for accessing the woman's bank accounts without her permission.

According to the criminal complaint filed with the IRS, Crystal's missing person report began when dispatch received a call on June 23 from Crystal's stepmother, who said she hadn't heard a text message from Crystal since June 11. She said when she calls Crystal's phone, the call immediately goes to voicemail.

A Dodge County Sheriff's deputy spoke with the stepmother, who said she stopped at Crystal's house and saw her car parked in the garage. Crystal's mother told her that Crystal had gone to Michigan to visit her brother and that she did not know if she had ever been picked up.

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The stepmother called the brother and the brother said he had not seen Crystal. The stepmother told authorities she was concerned because Zachariah Rasch had previously molested her and she wanted to make sure he did not harm her, according to the complaint.

The officer contacted several other friends and family members of Crystal. They all said they had not had any personal contact with Crystal since June 10. However, several said they had received Facebook messages purporting to be from Crystal, although they believed those messages were fake based on the tone of the comments and the language used. They also said the person claiming to be Crystal refused to take phone calls.

The officer tried several times to contact Crystal, but was never able to speak to her on the phone.

At the same time, the deputy also contacted Zachariah Rasch, who said he had not contacted Crystal or seen her. Police were informed that Crystal and Zachariah were getting a divorce.

Purchases made with Crystal debit/credit card

The complaint further states that through interviews, surveillance footage and transaction data, it was determined that Zachariah used Crystal's debit/credit card to make numerous purchases at Beaver Dam Menards, Walmart and several Kwik Trips in the area. He also used the debit card at Blain's Farm & Fleet in Watertown and at Watertown Ace Hardware.

Transaction records show that hundreds of dollars were spent on various cleaning supplies, including multiple bottles of drain cleaner, stain remover, carpet cleaner, upholstery cleaner, cleaning wipes, car interior cleaner, and chemical-resistant gloves.

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According to the complaint, surveillance videos show that Zachariah was alone during all transactions.

Interview with Zachariah

A Dodge County Sheriff's deputy met with Zachariah. He said he and Crystal each had their own bank accounts. They did not have joint bank accounts and they had not given each other access to their respective accounts. Crystal had filed for divorce and they did not live together, the lawsuit says.

Zachariah denied taking money from Crystal or making any purchases with her cashier's check or credit card during the early morning hours of questioning. Investigators showed him surveillance photos and transaction records of the Menards purchase on June 23, more than a week after he said he last contacted her.

According to the complaint, Zachariah sat quietly staring at the photo for a while, eventually stating he couldn't remember. However, he later admitted that he had lied to us and used Crystal's account to make unauthorized purchases without her consent.

Search warrant executed

On June 26, a search warrant was executed on Zachariah's home in connection with the identity theft.

Several receipts from the above-mentioned stores were found, as well as over $3,000 in cash.

Mobile pings

According to the complaint, investigators made 911 calls to Crystal's two phone numbers, as she had two phones.

One of the phones last pinged in Junuea on June 8.

The other phone showed activity on June 17 and also showed an outgoing call at 10:55 a.m. on June 10 that hit a cell tower near State Highway 13 in Adams, Wisconsin.

Search in Adams County

According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, Zachariah has connections to two different properties in the city of Springville.

Due to the size of the area, a nationwide call for assistance was made to other law enforcement agencies. Nearly 100 police officers from 28 departments were on the scene on June 26 and 27.
searched these properties.

A 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse registered to Zachariah Rasch was found. The vehicle has “significant evidentiary value” regarding Crystal's whereabouts and is currently being examined by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Madison.

Officials say the Rasch family has met with members of the sheriff's office and the district attorney's office and continues to mourn Crystal.