Man accused of killing baby in Aurora in 2010

A Burlington man is facing a charge of first-degree murder after authorities accused him of killing a baby nearly 16 years ago in Aurora.

Spiros Elias, 44, of the 100 block of East Plank Road, appeared in Kane County court Friday morning for a detention hearing.

He is accused of killing 11-month-old Michael Ortiz of Aurora on Dec. 17, 2010.

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser told Judge Bianca Camargo during Friday’s hearing that Elias was living in a home on the 100 block of Cross Street with Michael’s mother and her two other children. Several other adults also lived in the home.

The mother left the baby with Elias while she went to work. About 90 minutes later, Elias called 911 to report the baby was turning purple and not breathing, Mosser said.

According to Mosser, Elias told authorities that Michael had been fussy, that he gave him a sippy cup of milk, and the baby choked on the milk.

Emergency workers revived Michael, but he was declared brain dead a day later, Mosser said.

Mosser said a forensic pathologist determined Michael sustained injuries due to violent shaking, strangulation and blunt-force trauma. No other adults were in the home at the time, she said.

Elias’ attorney, Brandon McNulty, disputed that Elias was a danger to anyone or the community. He noted the 16-year gap between the death and the charges.

According to Mosser, Elias was charged with murder in 1999. She said the charge in that case was dropped, and Elias instead was convicted of aggravated discharge of a weapon and sentenced to six years in prison.

McNulty noted Elias has not been charged, until now, with any violent offenses since being released from prison on the 1999 case.

Aurora police’s cold-case unit investigated the case.

Elias was arrested late last week and initially appeared in court on Tuesday.

Camargo ordered that Elias be detained at the Kane County jail to await trial. His next court date is Oct. 15.

ssarkauskas@dailyherald.com