Crime & Safety

Man Wanted for Grisly Chicago Murder Arrested in Morris County

Milton Miranda, facing assault and weapons charges in Morristown, is wanted for allegedly decapitating a Chicago man.

A man arrested for allegedly impersonating another man in Morris County last weekend turns out to be wanted for a Chicago murder, reported the Star-Ledger, citing a Chicago Sun-Times piece.  

Chicago Police said they have not yet filed official charges against Milton Miranda-Portillo, but that extradition proceedings are underway. Miranda-Portillo was arrested in Denville Saturday, when they also learned Chicago police had a murder warrant in his name.

The man's public defender said Tuesday in Morris County Superior Court that Miranda-Portillo asserts he is not the man Chicago Police seek. He was arrested for using the alias Wilton Silvera, the same name he was charged under last spring in a domestic violence case involving charges of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and terroristic threats against a woman identified in court only by the initials D.G.

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Miranda-Portillo is wanted for the murder, decapitation and dismemberment last May of Chicago resident Jose Reyes, the brother of his girlfriend's former beau. The girlfriend, 19-year-old Daisy Gutierrez and her 56-year-old father Salvador Gutierrez, were arrested in connection with the case and are being held in Chicago. 

According to Chicago authorities, Reyes had begun to show romantic interest in Gutierrez, who shared children with his brother and currently was dating Miranda-Portillo.  Police said that on May 21, Gutierrez allegedly invited Reyes to her southwest Chicago home and lured him to her room, where Miranda-Portillo reportedly kicked in the door and attacked Reyes, slitting his throat and decapitating him. Daisy Gutierrez then, the Sun-Times reported, allegedly called her father to tell him that the problem was fixed. The elder Gutierrez allegedly helped conceal the murder and helped bury Reyes' body.

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Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated Milton Miranda-Portillo was arrested in Morristown based on a report by NJ.com.


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