Rosalio Gutierrez Jr., a 40-year-old Hispanic/Latino male, was last seen on May 17, 2020, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he lived in an apartment in the 3700 block of 15th Street. Known to some as Junior, he was described in public missing-person records as 6 feet tall and about 270 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, a neatly kept full beard, and black-rimmed eyeglasses that he was known to wear regularly.
The case began with deep concern when Rosalio did not report to work on May 18, 2020, or afterward, and those close to him were left with an immediate and frightening absence where routine contact should have been.
On May 19, 2020, Kenosha police responded to his residence for a missing-person investigation and welfare check. Both of Rosalio’s vehicles were found in the parking lot at his apartment complex, which made it less likely that he had simply left on his own. Inside the apartment, investigators found disturbing signs that something violent had happened: the patio door was open, furniture had been moved, an area rug was missing, and there was a large amount of blood. Public case summaries state that the apartment scene suggested a struggle, and the absence of the rug stood out because of the blood evidence around it.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities treated Rosalio’s disappearance as suspicious and urgent. Kenosha police publicly said the case remained a top priority and that the department was using available resources to piece together what had happened. Early reporting connected the investigation to Zachariah Anderson, a Mequon man accused of stalking a former girlfriend who was in a relationship with Rosalio. Court-related reporting said the woman told authorities Anderson had been tracking her, including allegations that a device had been placed on her vehicle and that she had been followed to Rosalio’s home.
The case eventually moved from a missing-person investigation into a homicide prosecution, even though Rosalio’s body had not been found. Prosecutors presented evidence that included phone records, DNA, surveillance, and other investigative findings, and they alleged that Anderson had been tracking and visiting Rosalio’s apartment before Rosalio disappeared. Reporting from the trial described the case as one built without remains but with evidence prosecutors said showed Rosalio had been killed inside his Kenosha apartment on or around the time he vanished.
On March 22, 2023, Zachariah Anderson was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse, stalking, and related charges in connection with Rosalio Gutierrez Jr.’s death. On May 16, 2023, Anderson was sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for supervised release after serving 40 years. For Rosalio’s family, the sentence brought a measure of accountability, but not the full peace that comes with being able to bring a loved one home; public Wisconsin missing-person records continue to state that it is still unknown where Rosalio’s remains are located. Rosalio’s case began as the sudden disappearance of a 40-year-old man from Kenosha, unfolded through a violent scene inside his apartment and a search for answers, and ultimately became a homicide case resolved in court while still leaving his loved ones with the painful unanswered question of where he is.Last Seen: May 17, 2020
