MERRILL, WI (WSAU) — A Central Wisconsin woman in federal jail facing accusations of a straw gun purchase may have purchased the weapon used to kill a Merrill woman.
Police say Ashley Zastrow provided false statements about who was purchasing two firearms back in January, saying she was purchasing the guns when the real buyer was someone else. Officers say one of the guns that were part of that transaction was used to kill Kayla Frank.
Zastrow is in federal custody awaiting a one-day trial on the charges, scheduled for December 5th. If found guilty Zastrow faces up to 5 years in federal prison.
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Officers say the arrest and charges show how they work to uncover every detail of a complex investigation, and they hope the incident “brings a measure of accountability on behalf of the victim and their surviving family.”
Tanner Graap is accused of first-degree intentional homicide for shooting Frank. He was initially charged with first-degree reckless homicide, though investigators have since upgraded that charge to intentional homicide. Graap admitted to firing the weapon but has said it was accidental.
