An Illinois man has been arrested for the alleged murder of an 11-month-old baby more than 15 years after the boy died of reported child abuse injuries, police said.
Spiros Elias, 44, of Burlington, is accused of killing the boy, Michael Ortiz, in Aurora in 2010, when he was living with and dating Michael’s mother, according to the Aurora Police Department.
On December 17, 2010, police and fire personnel were called to a report of Michael “unconscious and not breathing,” the department said in a Friday, August 28, news release.
The boy received medical attention for several injuries at two hospitals before dying the following day, according to police.
“The DuPage County Coroner’s Office later determined Michael’s death was caused by injuries resulting from child abuse and classified the death as a homicide,” police said. “Despite a thorough investigation, the initial investigators were unable to determine who was responsible, and the case remained unresolved.”
Authorities identified Elias as a suspect after an Aurora Police Department cold case detective revisited evidence in the case in 2024, resulting in new investigative efforts, authorities said.
When jurors were presented with the case on August 18, they returned an indictment charging Elias with first-degree murder “intending to cause death or great bodily harm” and first-degree murder “knowing his actions created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm,” police said.
During the renewed investigation into Michael’s murder, investigators conducted new interviews, worked with an independent pediatric radiologist and had an additional laboratory analysis performed, according to police.
“The specialized medical review helped investigators more precisely establish when Michael’s fatal injuries occurred,” police said.
Elias was ultimately linked to the timeframe of the boy’s injuries, according to authorities.
During Elias’ Friday, August 28, detention hearing, a prosecutor argued Elias had been with Michael and called 911 after the boy’s mother arrived at work, the Daily Herald reported.
Elias told law enforcement Michael was not breathing and had choked on milk after he gave him a sippy cup and laid him down at home, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in court, according to the newspaper.
Elias also lived with Michael’s mother’s two other children and one other adult, who was not at home when Elias dialed 911, the newspaper reported.
According to a forensic pathologist’s determination, Michael was shaken, strangled and sustained blunt-force trauma, Mosser said, according to the Daily Herald.
“A child’s life was taken, and Michael’s family has lived for more than 15 years without answers or accountability,” Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas said in a statement. “While this arrest cannot undo their loss or erase the pain caused by the passage of time, we hope it brings them one step closer to justice.”
At Elias’ detention hearing, his attorney, Brandon McNulty, disagreed after prosecutors argued Elias is a danger to the public, the Daily Herald reported.
Elias was ordered detained ahead of trial, per the newspaper.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
