Boyfriend Of Young Mother Found Dead In Colorado Motel Room Arrested

Authorities in Colorado have arrested a 24-year-old man Tuesday in connection with the killing of his girlfriend who was found dead inside a South Colorado Springs motel.

The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) said Tuesday that they collected viable information in favor of arresting Marvin Gabriel Santiago, the alleged boyfriend of murdered Elena Alinj, 23, from Albania. He was charged with first-degree murder.

Deputies with the CSPD had found Alinj unresponsive with serious injuries at the Sun Springs Motel at S. Nevada Avenue in late September last year, KRDO-TV had reported at that time.

Alinj was rushed to a hospital where she died. An autopsy concluded that the victim died from blunt force injuries and strangulation, according to the report.

Santiago, who was present at the motel, was interrogated by the CPSD’s Domestic Violence/Adult Sexual Assault Unit.

A warrant for Santiago’s arrest was issued on March 4. His arrest came after almost two weeks of search in Colorado Springs and Florida involving authorities from the U.S. Marshals Service, an updated report by the KRDO-TV said.

Santiago had reportedly turned himself to the El Paso County Jail on March 26, where he is currently being held. More details about his arrest weren’t available. The motive behind the murder was also not clear.

Santiago is scheduled to appear in court on April 8 and no bond was levied against him as of Tuesday night, according to CBS-affiliated KKTV.

The investigation is still going on.

In May 2020, A Bronx man was arrested after the decomposing body of his girlfriend was found inside his apartment in Belmont. The suspect, identified as Anthony Portis, 30, was previously arrested for allegedly kicking, biting, and punching another woman who was apparently the mother of his child. The victim was later identified as 22-year-old Dominique Ben-David.