Minnesota man arrested in slaying of co-worker’s 5-year-old daughter

The 25-year-old family friend suspected of abducting and killing the girl was jailed Saturday.

Alayna was last seen about 2 a.m. Saturday when she was put to bed at her home in Watkins, about 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Anderson told the officers where to find Alayna’s body in a “swampy wooded area a few hundred yards from the cabin”, the statement said.

Hours later, the GMC truck is found on property owned by the suspect’s family in rural Cass County.

Alayna Ertl’s body was found about 5 p.m. Saturday about 100 miles north of her Watkins home.

A preliminary autopsy said that the little girl died from “homicidal violence”, the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office said.

Anderson, who had been spending the night with the family, was missing as well.

Anderson is being held in a jail on suspicion of murder and kidnapping.

The brown-eyed girl was pronounced dead at the scene. KARE 11 reached out to the family of Alayna Ertl who politely declined an interview request.

The crime is being investigated jointly by the Meeker and Cass County sheriff’s offices and the BCA.

Multiple law enforcement agencies from across the state of Minnesota, and members of the public got to work immediately – keeping an eye out for Anderson and Ertl. Anderson was also arrested on the property without incident.

Meeker County Deputies canvassed the Watkins area, but were unable to locate Ertl or Anderson. They also said the suspect in her disappearance and murder spent the night at their home.

According to the criminal complaint, Ertl’s father and Anderson played softball together on the evening of August 19.

Some accounts said Anderson was from Coon Rapids, and some said he was from Monticello.

A search of online court records has revealed Anderson’s only run-ins with law enforcement have been over relatively minor traffic violations. Funeral director Tom Ertl is a cousin of Alayna’s grandfather Rick Ertl.

A fundraising effort on gofundme.com has received more than $30,000 in pledges to help the family with expenses related to Alayna’s death. As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, almost $14,000 had been raised through the site in eight hours.

A Facebook profile under Kayla’s name added a photo without comment Sunday morning: Alayna among pink, puffy clouds.

Meeker County authorities are asking anyone with information to call authorities.