In a remarkable example of cold case investigations, Aurora police have identified and arrested a 44-year-old Burlington, Illinois man in connection with the 2010 murder of an 11-month-old child.
According to police, on December 17, 2010, Aurora Police and Aurora Fire Department personnel responded to a home in the 100 block of Cross Street for an 11-month-old boy who was unconscious and not breathing. The child, Michael Ortiz, was initially transported to an Aurora hospital and later transferred to another hospital for additional treatment. He died from his injuries the following day.
An autopsy identified multiple injuries, and 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. Despite a thorough investigation, the initial investigators were unable to determine who was responsible, and the case remained unresolved.
In December 2024, Aurora Police Department’s cold case investigator initiated a comprehensive review of the case. Working alongside an APD investigator with specialized expertise in child abuse cases, investigators reexamined the original reports, witness statements, medical records, and other evidence collected during the initial investigation.
As part of that review, investigators conducted extensive additional interviews, including reinterviews of people connected to the case. They also consulted an independent pediatric radiologist and obtained additional laboratory analysis. The specialized medical review helped investigators more precisely establish when Michael’s fatal injuries occurred. Investigators compared that refined timeframe with the evidence and statements collected throughout the investigation and identified the suspect, the live-in boyfriend of Michael’s mother at the time, as the person they believe was responsible for his death.
On Tuesday, August 18, the case was presented to a Kane County grand jury, which returned an indictment charging the suspect 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.
On Friday, August 21, Aurora Police investigators and members of the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force located the suspect in Burlington and took him into custody without incident.
He appeared for a pretrial detention hearing on August 28, where he was ordered detained in the Kane County Adult Justice Center. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 15, 2026, at 9 am in Courtroom 311.
“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. “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. Cold cases are never forgotten, and we will continue pursuing justice no matter how much time has passed. I am proud of the dedication, persistence, and specialized investigative work that brought this case to this point.”
