DODGE COUNTY, Wis. — A Dodge County judge finds the man accused in the death and disappearane of his estranged wife not competent to stand trial.
43-year-old Zachariah Rasch faces two felony charges including 1st degree intentional homicide with domestic abuse assessments and hiding a corpse.
His estranged wife Crystal went missing from the Town of Clyman in June 2024. Rasch was arrested nearly two weeks later for identify theft for using Crystal’s debit card without her permission. Investigators originally charged him with identity theft.
Investigators then used surveillance video to link him to those purchases at multiple stores, which included included carpet cleaner, chemical-resistant gloves, stain remover, and drain cleaner.
Crystal’s vehicle was later traced to a property owned by Rasch’s relatives. Her burnt remains were later found on Rasch’s property, with a forensic dentist identifying a recovered tooth as Crystal’s.
Rasch had pled not guilty to all of the charges, with bond set at $1,000,000 dollars. During the court review on July 21, the court reviewed the findings of an ordered competency report, finding that Rasch is “incompetent at this time, but likely to regain competency”. He was then committed for treatment, and the case suspended. A scheduling conference is set for September 16.
He faces life in prison if convicted on all charges.
