May 5—ANDERSON — Alexander Ortiz has been sentenced to serve 65 years in prison for the 2021 murder of Andrea Aguirre.

Madison Circuit Court Division 6 Judge Murk Dudley sentenced Ortiz Friday to the maximum sentence on a charge of murder.

Dudley found as aggravating circumstances that the violent crime was committed in the presence of a child, and that Ortiz had a criminal history of domestic violence and spousal abuse.

Dudley also found that Oritz, 27, lied to the jury during his testimony at trial.

"That undermines the core value of our criminal justice system," Dudley said. "It attacks the credibility of our system."

Ortiz showed no emotion following his sentencing.

Aguirre's sister Deanna said her sister's death destroyed an entire family.

"Her children will no longer have a mother to embrace," she said. "Every Christmas will be a reminder of what happened.

"This monster has stolen so much from her children and family," Deanna said.

Ortiz's parents wrote a letter to Judge Dudley asking for clemency.

The letter stated he grew up in a united, humble family and he was raised in the Catholic faith.

"We will wait for him with open arms," it stated. "We pray for him every day."

Deputy prosecutor Jesse Miller said Ortiz came from a family with strong foundational values that he chose to ignore.

"His history is a pattern of abuse against women," Miller said. "The crime was committed in the presence of a child."

Aguirre's son was left alone in the house with the body of his dead mother for 19 hours before the crime was discovered.

"He deserves the maximum sentence," Miller said.

Ortiz testified in his own defense and said while questioned by defense attorney Tom Godfrey that he didn't kill Aguirre.

Detective Gregg Edwards with the Indiana State Police provided detailed records for the cellphone that was traced to Ortiz prior to his arrest in Massachusetts on Dec. 29.

Edwards testified Monday that on the morning of Dec. 20, Ortiz traveled to Greenwood and returned to Anderson in the evening.

He testified Ortiz made several stops on Interstate 65 between Indianapolis and Louisville before traveling to Grand Rapids, Elkhart and Columbus, Ohio, before traveling to Boston, where he was arrested on Dec. 29.

Ortiz changed his Facebook photo and deleted Aguirre as a friend. During one of the stops, he checked on flights to Boston and Orlando.

Edwards said at 12:31 a.m. on Dec. 22 Ortiz did several Google searches for "deaths in Anderson" and "Aguirre death."

During his testimony, Ortiz said he hadn't seen Aguirre for several days before she died.

However, evidence from his cellphone records showed he was at her residence on the night she died.

He said he went to Louisville to deliver a computer, to Grand Rapids to visit the mother of his daughter, and to Elkhart and Columbus to visit friends.

At one point, when contacted by one of Aguirre's family, Ortiz said he was in Chicago visiting a sister when she died.

Video from a nearby camera showed Ortiz leaving the East Fifth Street residence on the morning of Dec. 21.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.