New indictment follows years-long cold-case review
Aurora police announced Friday that a Burlington man has been charged in the death of an 11-month-old child who died in December 2010. The arrest follows a comprehensive cold-case review that began in December 2024 and included reexamination of original reports, new medical consultation and additional laboratory analysis.
Authorities identified 44-year-old Spiros Elias as the person they believe was responsible for the death of Michael Ortiz. A grand jury returned an indictment Aug. 18 charging Elias with two counts of first-degree murder — one count alleging intent to cause death or great bodily harm and a second count alleging conduct that created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm, according to an Aurora Police Department news release.
How investigators reached the indictment
Police said the case began two weeks before Christmas in 2010, when Aurora officers and firefighters responded to a home on the 100 block of Cross Street for a report of a boy who was unconscious and not breathing. Michael Ortiz was taken to an Aurora hospital and later transferred to another medical facility, where he died Dec. 18, 2010. The DuPage County Coroner's Office classified the death as a homicide after an autopsy determined the fatal injuries were the result of child abuse.
In December 2024, the Aurora Police Department assigned a dedicated cold-case investigator to reexamine the file. The review included:
- Reexamination of original reports and evidence
- Reinterviewing witnesses and people previously interviewed in the case
- Consultation with an independent pediatric radiologist
- Additional laboratory analyses to refine the timing of injuries
Police say combining the refined medical timeframe with statements and investigative findings led them to conclude Elias was responsible.
Local reaction and next steps
Police emphasized the length of time the family waited for answers.
"A child's life was taken, and Michael's family has lived for more than 15 years without answers or accountability," Chief Matt Thomas said in a statement.
Authorities noted that while the arrest brings formal charges, it does not erase the loss experienced by Michael's family. The case now moves through the DuPage County criminal court system, where prosecutors will present the evidence supporting the grand jury indictment.
At the time of the 2010 incident, Elias was the live-in boyfriend of the child's mother, police said. Beyond that relationship and the facts surrounding the death and subsequent medical findings, police have not released additional details about the evidence or the investigative steps that led to the indictment.
Timeline of key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Mid-December 2010 | Aurora responders called to 100 block of Cross Street for an unresponsive infant |
| Dec. 18, 2010 | Michael Ortiz dies at a medical facility; death classified as a homicide by DuPage County Coroner |
| Dec. 2024 | Aurora PD cold-case investigator reopens and reviews the case |
| Aug. 18, 2026 | Grand jury indicts Spiros Elias on two counts of first-degree murder |
Investigators said independent medical review and laboratory work helped narrow the timeframe in which the fatal injuries occurred, aligning that window with statements and other evidence collected over the years. The police department did not disclose additional specifics of those scientific findings in the news release.
The indictment marks a rare instance in which a decades-old child-homicide case has been advanced after renewed review. For Aurora residents, the case underscores the persistence of cold-case units and the role of updated medical review and lab technology in revisiting unresolved fatalities.
As the criminal case advances, Aurora police and the DuPage County Coroner's Office remain principal sources for updates. Court filings and hearings will provide more detail about the evidence that produced the grand jury's decision to indict.
