November 10, 2017
At the Russell Speeder’s Car Wash, where he had worked about eight years, his co-workers were dismayed that the friendly, hardworking man had become the victim of a homicide.
A police officer returning about 1 a.m. to the northeast precinct station found Cesar-Ortega’s body slumped in the driver’s seat of his silver sedan parked near the building’s door.
Detectives believe that Cesar-Ortega drove to the precinct station and died.
Police were investigating whether Cesar-Ortega, 29, was shot at Templeton Street and Wayne Lowden Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
There was an activation of ShotSpotter at that intersection at that time. ShotSpotter is a network of pole-mounted microphones that detect the sound of gunfire and report it to police.
The possible shooting site is about a half-mile from the station, which is just south of 30th Street and Ames Avenue.
After the officer found Cesar-Ortega’s body, Fire Department paramedics were called to the station, and Cesar-Ortega was declared dead. There is at least one video surveillance camera attached to the precinct building, but police have not said whether the department has video of the car’s arrival at the lot.
Police had not announced an arrest late Thursday.
The killing is the 25th homicide in the city this year.
Cesar-Ortega leaves behind a wife and 10-year-old daughter. At his split-level home in La Vista, several family members gathered in the living and dining rooms. Many sobbed remembering the man with a love of cars who enjoyed taking his younger relatives out to eat.
When children of the family came home from school, they would routinely see Cesar-Ortega in his driveway. He frequently performed small car repairs for family members at no cost.
“If anybody called him, he would give them a ride. He would help people,” said Juan Maricio Gonzalez, 43, a relative. “He had this big heart.”
Cesar-Ortega dreamed of starting his own car wash, his family said. He was born in Mexico and came to the United States as a child.
Paul Ford, Cesar-Ortega’s manager at Russell Speeder’s Car Wash near 118th Street and West Dodge Road, said Cesar-Ortega worked for the company for about eight years, most recently as a car detailer.
“He was a great person, always happy and a hard worker,” Ford said. “He did a little bit of everything.”
Ford said he grew worried when Cesar-Ortega didn’t show up for work at 8 a.m. Thursday and did not call. He had worked Wednesday and was in a good mood, Ford said.
He and other employees recognized images of Cesar-Ortega’s silver car.
“We’re all a little shocked about it,” Ford said. “I’ve known him a long time. Everybody liked him.”
The family had not made funeral arrangements and said it was struggling to find the money to pay for a funeral. They asked a reporter who visited them Thursday afternoon how they might locate a funeral home and how to go about raising the needed funds.
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