Suburban man jailed pending roommate's autopsy

A Midlothian man who allegedly stuffed the body of his roommate into a suitcase and hid it in a storage unit was ordered held without bail Sunday by a Cook County judge.

Alexander Acevedo, 23, told police that his roommate, Kimberly M. Putterlik, overdosed on drugs about two weeks ago, prosecutors said Sunday at a bail hearing.

Acevedo told police he stuffed her in a suitcase and hid her in a basement storage unit of his apartment building because he feared Putterlik’s overdose might cause him to be evicted.

On Thursday, a neighbor flagged down a police officer to investigate a foul odor coming from the storage unit of the apartment building in the 14500 block of South Keystone Avenue in Midlothian, prosecutors said.

The officer discovered the body, which had been folded in half, in the unlocked storage unit, prosecutors said.

Acevedo told police he hid the body and disposed of drug paraphernalia in several nearby dumpsters.

Acevedo was arrested Friday and charged with concealing a body and obstructing justice.

On Sunday, Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered Acevedo be held without bail pending the results of an autopsy on Putterlik’s body.