Inset: Emilio Ortiz (Scott County Jail). Background: The trailhead for the Wilkie Unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Shakopee, Minn. (Google Maps).
A Minnesota teenager is behind bars after shooting and killing a man who was both his co-worker and, at times, his boss, law enforcement in the Land of 10,000 Lakes says.
Emilio Vallejo Ortiz, 18, stands accused of one count of murder in the second degree over the death of a 53-year-old man who owned a landscaping business and worked with the defendant.
The investigation began on Oct. 4, when a group of passersby found the victim in a ditch off a hiking trail in Wilkie Park in Shakopee — a medium-sized city located some 25 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
Officers arrived at the park and found the victim, whose name has not been released, about 30 feet off the trail in the weeds, with dried blood on his face, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Minneapolis-based Fox affiliate KMSP and local ABC affiliate KSTP.
The man also appeared to have been dragged, police said.
Near the body, a large pool of blood was visible, along with three spent 9 mm casings, one live 9 mm round and drag marks near the trail, according to the charging document. An autopsy indicated the victim died after being shot four times.
A fourth bullet casing was later found about 150 feet away from the crime scene, police said. A group of hikers told investigators they picked up the bullet casing and threw it off the trail.
After identifying the victim, investigators went to his apartment, where they found signs of damage. Police then learned the victim had reported a break-in the day before his body was found.
Neighbors allegedly told law enforcement that the victim owned a landscaping business and employed Ortiz. The defendant was allegedly given access to the victim's vehicles and occasionally stayed at the victim's apartment, police said.
The victim's sister surmised the defendant and the slain man were in a romantic relationship, police said. After his arrest, the defendant denied that allegation, according to the charging document.
When asked about his location on the day in question, Ortiz said the man dropped him off at a shopping center that afternoon, police claim. The defendant also denied driving the man's 2023 Ford Raptor that day.
But surveillance video showed Ortiz driving the Raptor that afternoon with the victim in the passenger seat, police said. In the footage, the two stop at a home improvement store, get out, buy a door lock, then get back in the car together. Again, Ortiz is seen driving, police claim.
Roughly five minutes later, the victim's phone pinged to an area near where his body was eventually found, according to the charging document. After that, the victim's phone never moved until police found it off the park trail the next day, investigators allege.
Law enforcement also placed Ortiz's own phone in the park for roughly 20 minutes beginning around the time the victim's phone sent that final ping, according to the complaint.
When confronted with the discrepancy shown by the surveillance footage and cellphone location data, the defendant allegedly told police he "did not remember that day."
After that, he was arrested.
During an interview, the defendant allegedly denied the relationship rumor, said he worked with the victim during the week and for the victim's landscaping business on weekends, and denied owning a gun.
Later, police found the Raptor parked at an apartment roughly 1 mile away from Ortiz's residence, according to the charging document. Inside the defendant's residence, investigators found a key to the Raptor.
During a search of Ortiz's cellphone, police allegedly found a translated message that read: "Get me a Glock, buddy."
The defendant is detained in the Scott County Jail on $2 million bail. He is slated to appear in court on Friday.
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