Wheaton, IL – A DuPage County judge denied pre-trial release Monday for an Elmhurst man accused of killing 21-year-old Claudia Mojarrieta-Matos early Saturday morning, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
According to prosecutors, Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to keep 22-year-old Santino Ortiz detained as he faces six counts of first-degree murder, one count of armed robbery, and one count of concealment of homicidal death. Ortiz, of the 600 block of W. Belden Avenue in Elmhurst, appeared in First Appearance Court this afternoon.
According to police, officers first responded around 4:35 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call reporting Mojarrieta-Matos missing. Investigators said the caller told officers he had dropped the victim off around 1 a.m. in the 600 block of W. Lorraine Avenue to meet Ortiz. Minutes later, he allegedly received a phone call from Mojarrieta-Matos during which he heard a struggle before the call abruptly ended. When he was unable to locate her, he contacted police.
Elmhurst detectives identified Ortiz as a suspect and interviewed him at the police department later that day, where he was taken into custody. According to authorities, Ortiz allegedly solicited Mojarrieta-Matos for prostitution, led her into his garage, and attacked her—first by forcing her to the ground and striking her head, then allegedly stabbing her multiple times.
Investigators allege Ortiz later hid the body before transporting it to a rural area in Wadsworth, Illinois, where police say it was found about forty feet off the roadway. The Lake County Coroner’s Office reported Mojarrieta-Matos suffered approximately seven stab wounds.
Ortiz’s next court appearance is set for January 5, 2026, before Judge Margaret O’Connell.
Members of the public are reminded that these are allegations, and Ortiz is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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