Alayna Jeanne Ertl, the 5-year-old girl kidnapped from her Watkins home Saturday and whose body was later found in a wooded area of Cass County, died as a result of homicidal violence, officials reported.
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Anderson, who had been spending the night with the family, was missing as well.
The sheriff said he unsure why Anderson drove to the Motley area, about 80 miles north of Watkins.
Anderson is being held in a jail on suspicion of murder and kidnapping. S.in Watkins, according to the Amber Alert. No one was inside the vehicle or a cabin on the property. Authorities arrested Anderson in the same county.
Police say they don’t have any information about the events that led up to the crime. “He had previously been to that residence and spent a night here and there – so he’s not a stranger and not new to the residence, but was just there for the night last night”. Just before 4:30 p.m., K-9s found Anderson in woods about a quarter mile from a cabin on the property. “He’s been there multiple times”, said Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze.
Records show that Anderson’s only run-ins with the law prior to Saturday had been for traffic violations.
Authorities asked Minnesotans to be on the lookout for a white 2002 GMC Sierra truck – her father Matt Ertl’s work truck – and Anderson.
Anderson graduated from Monticello High School, according a Facebook page under his name.
On Sunday, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office was referring media inquiries to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Funeral director Tom Ertl is a cousin of Alayna’s grandfather Rick Ertl.
A GoFundMe page has been set up in Alayna’s honor and help with funeral expenses. As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, almost $14,000 had been raised through the site in eight hours. When they couldn’t find Ertl, the BCA was contacted to provide assistance.
A Facebook profile under Kayla’s name added a photo without comment Saturday morning: Alayna among pink, puffy clouds. Meeker County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a report of a missing child.
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Law enforcement continues to seek information from anyone who encountered Anderson or the stolen vehicle on Saturday at 320-693-5400.
