Coroner IDs Woman Whose Body Was Dumped In Lake County

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Lake County Coroner's Office has identified the 21-year-old Florida woman whose body was dumped in Lake County after she was killed in Elmhurst, authorities said.

Preliminary results from an autopsy show Claudia Mojarrieta-Matos, of Greenacres, Florida, died from multiple injuries due to an assault, according to the coroner's office.

Santino Ortiz, 22, who lives in the 600 block of West Belden Avenue in Elmhurst, has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and concealment of a homicidal death, police said. Authorities say he killed Mojarrieta-Matos' body and dumped her body in the 13400 block of West Adams Road in Wadsworth.

Her body was found at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Christopher Covelli, deputy chief with the sheriff's office, told Patch on Tuesday. Police in Elmhurst discovered her body after they first launched an investigation into Mojarrieta-Matos' disappearance early on Saturday.

The caller who first reported the incident to police told them that he dropped off Mojarrieta-Matos at about 1 a.m. in the 600 block of West Lorraine Avenue so she could meet Ortiz, police said. Lorraine is a block away from Ortiz's house.

About 15 minutes after the drop-off, the woman called the man, who then contacted the police. The caller heard a struggle and Mojarrieta-Matos crying, followed by the abrupt end of the call, police said.

The man returned, but couldn't find Mojarrieta-Matos. He then called 911.

Police identified Ortiz as the suspect. After they interviewed him, they took him into custody, DuPage County prosecutors said in a news release.

Police said Ortiz solicited Mojarrieta-Matos for prostitution and arranged to meet her on Lorraine Avenue.

When she arrived, Ortiz led her into his garage, forced her to the ground face down and repeatedly slammed her head on the garage floor, police said. He then got a knife from his pocket and repeatedly stabbed Mojarrieta-Matos from behind, police said.

Ortiz then wrapped her head in a garbage bag and put her body in a garbage can, prosecutors said.

About 8 a.m., he put her body in his pickup truck and discarded her body in a rural area near Lake County's Wadsworth, among the brush and trees about 40 feet from the roadway, police said.

The Lake County Coroner's Office found Mojarrieta-Matos had been stabbed seven times in the face and head, prosecutors said.

Ortiz was ordered to stay in the DuPage County Jail until his trial.

Over the weekend, an alert was put out on social media for Mojarrieta-Matos. Her photo was included.

• Death Probe Underway After Body Of Woman Killed In Elmhurst Found: Police