COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Enraged after his girlfriend bought pot from another man, Mario Ortega lured a 25-year-old Humboldt Park man out of his home and shot him in cold blood, prosecutors said.
Ortega learned that his girlfriend had been to Efrain Cruz's house in the 3200 block of West LeMoyne Street to buy marijuana in September 2012, Assistant State's Attorney Allison Sise said. He then confronted her about it and threatened to "take care of the victim," Sise said.
Ortega allegedly arranged to buy pot from Cruz later the same day she bought the drugs, Sise said. He lured Cruz out of his house with the ruse and shot him multiple times, Sise said.
Ortega, who had stopped by Cruz's home earlier looking for him, was later spotted wearing the same gray hoodie and fleeing in the same red car, prosecutors said.
Investigators later obtained cellphone records showing that Ortega called Cruz three minutes before the shooting, prosecutors said.
Ortega, of the 4600 block of West Ohio Street, was arrested Tuesday after being identified as the person who shot Cruz, police said. He appeared in court for a bond hearing Friday on the murder charge.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered Ortega, 19, held without bail.
Ortega is also facing charges in an unrelated case for allegedly dealing heroin within 1,000 feet of a school. He was previously sentenced to 18 months probation for a DUI.
