Elmhurst man accused of killing 21-year-old woman ordered held pre-trial

ELMHURST, Ill. - A DuPage County judge has ordered an Elmhurst man to remain in custody as he faces multiple charges in the death of a 21-year-old, who was reported missing early Saturday morning.

What we know:

Santino Ortiz, 22, of the 600 block of West Belden Avenue, appeared in court Tuesday and is charged with six counts of first-degree murder, one count of armed robbery, and one count of concealment of a homicidal death, according to a station from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

The backstory:

Police were called around 4:35 a.m. on Dec. 6, after a man reported Claudia Mojarrieta-Matos missing. He told officers he had dropped her off around 1 a.m. in the 600 block of West Lorraine Avenue to meet someone — later identified as Ortiz. The two streets run parallel, just one block apart, and Ortiz lives directly north of where she was dropped off.

About 15 minutes after leaving her, the man said he received a phone call from Mojarrieta-Matos and heard a struggle and the sound of her crying before the call suddenly disconnected. When he couldn’t find her, he called 911, prosecutors said.

Santino Ortiz, 22. (DuPage County State's Attorney's Office)

Investigators soon identified Ortiz as a suspect. Police contacted him later that afternoon, and he agreed to come to the Elmhurst Police Department around 4:30 p.m., where he was taken into custody after an interview.

According to prosecutors, Ortiz had allegedly solicited Mojarrieta-Matos for prostitution and arranged to meet her on Lorraine Avenue. They say he led her into his garage, where he attacked her — slamming her head on the floor and then stabbing her multiple times. He allegedly wrapped her head in a garbage bag, placed her body in a garbage can, and later moved her into his pickup truck.

Around 8 a.m., Ortiz allegedly drove to a rural area in Wadsworth, Illinois — roughly 40 feet off a roadway — and left her body among brush and trees. An autopsy found she had been stabbed approximately seven times in the face and head.

What they're saying:

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin offered condolences to the victim’s loved ones.

"Claudia’s young life was taken in a senseless, brutal act of violence," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said. "The type of violence alleged in this case will not be tolerated in DuPage County."

What's next:

Ortiz is being held without bond. His next court date is January 5, 2026, before Judge Margaret O’Connell.