Zachariah Rasch told police his missing wife “has done this before,” but detectives found her DNA in his car and a tooth in his burn pit

A Wisconsin murder trial is underway as prosecutors present a case involving a missing woman, physical remains found on the defendant’s property, and a series of incriminating internet searches. Zachariah Rasch, 44, stands accused of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse following the disappearance of his wife, Crystal Rasch, in June 2024. The defense claims the death was a tragic accident.

Crystal Rasch, 37, was last seen on June 11, 2024, after going out to eat and run errands with her husband. The couple was in the middle of a contentious divorce and had lost custody of their children at the time. Her divorce attorney, David Lang, described her as optimistic about her future and actively working toward securing new housing. Her communication ceased after June 5, 2024, with an unusual email sent to the wrong address later appearing to attempt to fire her attorney.

When Crystal was reported missing by her stepmother on June 23, investigators arrived at the Rasch home to find Zachariah near a burn pit. As detailed by Court TV, he told police his wife “has done this before,” attempting to minimize concern. A search of the property revealed multiple burn areas. In one of them, detectives found a tooth and a skull fragment, both of which returned confirmed matches to Crystal through dental records and DNA testing.

The car, the searches, and the cleaning supplies told a different story

Examination of the Mitsubishi Eclipse associated with Rasch produced additional evidence. Investigators found the front passenger seat, door, and seatbelt saturated with blood, with signs that someone had attempted to clean the interior. Prosecutors described the cleanup as insufficient. Amid a wave of pending-divorce cases drawing national attention, a surgeon in Ohio was separately charged in a double killing connected to his ex-wife, a case that also raised questions about what investigators found after the fact.

Phone records presented by the prosecution show a pattern of searches stretching back weeks before Crystal’s disappearance. Rasch allegedly queried phrases including “Do you die instantly from a gunshot to the head” and “How long can you get widow’s benefits if taxes were never filed.”

After she vanished, the searches reportedly shifted to cleaning methods, disposing of bones, and how quickly police can obtain warrants. Surveillance footage also placed him using Crystal’s debit card to purchase cleaning products, including multiple bottles of drain cleaner.

During opening statements, defense attorney Zaki Zehawi offered a contrasting account. He argued that Crystal “tragically killed herself” while handling a gun in front of her husband, and that Rasch panicked because he feared blame given the pending divorce and his ownership of the firearm.

Zehawi acknowledged his client lied to family and friends but characterized those actions as a desperate response rather than evidence of murder. In another recent case that reached a conclusion, an ex-husband who shot his wife in her own driveway as she begged for mercy pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life with a minimum of 51 years before parole eligibility.

If convicted, Zachariah Rasch faces a potential life sentence.