Crystal Rasch's disappearance case is now a death investigation

The sheriff's office continues to investigate Crystal Rasch's disappearance “but has determined that the case is no longer a missing person investigation and has become a death investigation,” Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said in a statement Wednesday.

“No details regarding the death investigation will be released in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation as it remains a very active investigation,” Schmidt said.

Rasch's ex-husband, Zachariah Rasch, is being held on $250,000 cash bail, accused of using his wife's debit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash to buy cleaning products, drain cleaners, chemical-resistant gloves and other items worth hundreds of dollars, according to a criminal complaint.

Rasch, 42, of Juneau, is the “prime suspect” in the disappearance of Crystal Rasch, 37, of rural Clyman, Dodge County Court Commissioner Steven Seim said during Rasch's first court appearance Friday.

Crystal Rasch was reported missing on June 23 after her family discovered no one had spoken to her since June 11. She filed for divorce in September 2023 and said in court documents that her husband threatened abuse when she filed in 2019.

Zachariah Rasch was charged with seven counts of identity theft for financial gain. He appeared in Dodge County Court on Wednesday. Rasch was granted permission to have a public defender assigned to him, but one has not yet been assigned. His preliminary hearing was postponed until Aug. 1.

According to a criminal complaint, a 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse registered to Zachariah Rasch was found on his family's property near Adams with “significant evidentiary value in the vicinity (of a missing person) and is currently being analyzed by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Madison.”

Although Zachariah Rasch is only charged with identity theft, there is a connection to the missing person case, Dodge County Prosecuting Attorney James Barkei said during Rasch's initial appearance.

Barkei said Crystal Rasch's mother told authorities she traveled to Michigan to see her brother, but her brother said she never made it there.

A Facebook page was created in Crystal's name, and family members and friends received a note saying it was from Crystal.

“I’m fine, I just need some time, I’m with friends, Zach doesn’t need to know where I am,” Barkei said in the post, adding that specifically mentioning Zachariah Rasch was a red flag.

Zachariah Rasch was also identified by video as the person who used Crystal's debit card multiple times at stores and ATMs in Beaver Dam, Watertown and Juneau, Barkei said.

Items purchased included several bottles of drain cleaner, a portable air cooler, gasoline for his vehicle, additional drain cleaner and several cleaning supplies and items for a vehicle, as well as chemical-resistant nitrile gloves.

There were also five ATM withdrawals. In total, $6,500 was missing from Crystal Rasch's account due to the purchases and withdrawals.

Crystal Rasch and Zachariah Rasch no longer lived together and had separate bank accounts, Barkei said. Crystal's car remained parked in front of her house.

Crystal had two phones, one used on June 8 and the other on June 17 in Wisconsin Dells, where Zachariah's family owns land.

Anyone with information about Crystal Rasch's location can call the Dodge County Sheriff's Office hotline at 920-386-4590. They can also email information to [email protected] or use the sheriff's app.