Man Charged With Strangling Woman He Met Through Escort Site

DES PLAINES, IL — A 24-year-old woman found strangled to death and left near a Dumpster in Des Plaines was killed by a man who contacted her through an escort site, police said Friday. Myra Rivera was identified through fingerprints after her body was found by a person picking through a Dumpster in a Des Plaines parking lot on the afternoon of New Year's Eve, authorities said.

Police say she was left there three days earlier after being strangled by a man who met her through the escort site. Rivera, a Rockford resident, had been reported missing several days before her body was discovered.

Gerard Merced Delgado Calderon, of the 9400 block of Maple Avenue in Rosemont, is charged with first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a homicide.

The Des Plaines Police Department was first called to the parking lot in the area of Maple Street at Oakton Avenue around 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. When officers arrived at the scene, they learned the person picking through garbage called 911 after finding the woman's body, according to a news release from the police department.

Des Plaines detectives and the Major Crimes Task Force (MCAT) Forensics Team, along with the Investigations Team were activated to assist in the investigation. The Rosemont Police Department was also contacted and assisted with the investigation.

A video canvass of the area helped police develop leads on a vehicle believed to be involved in Rivera's murder and showed that the box containing her body had been dropped off near the Dumpster around 4:45 p.m. Dec. 28, three days before she was found.

As a result of a search warrant, the 2004 Acura TL involved in the incident was found, and Calderon was taken into custody on Jan. 2. Two other persons of interest, who were later determined to have unwittingly participated in the incident by lending Calderon their vehicle or by helping Gerard put the box in the vehicle, were also taken into custody, police said.

Police interviewed Calderon and learned he had contacted Rivera through an escort service website, and eventually met up with her at his apartment in the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 28. While at the apartment, he got into a verbal altercation with Rivera that turned physical, police said.

Evidence was collected at the scene where Rivera's body was found as well as at Calderon's apartment, according to a statement from Des Plaines police.

Patch will update with more information as it becomes available.