The San Jose Police Department has identified the suspect accused of killing three-year-old Ellie Obi Lorenzo. SJPD reports that patrol officers responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance at a recycling facility in the 600 block of Charles Street around 4:38 a.m. on July 13, 2024.

An employee called police to say they had possibly found a deceased female in the processing area. At the time, the Fremont Police Department was searching for missing three-year-old Ellie Obi Lorenzo. At the scene, officers found the deceased female victim and confirmed it matched the description of Ellie.

On July 15, the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Ellie. SJPD says the cause and manner of death is still under investigation. SJPD’s Homicide Unit has been investigating the death since the discovery.

SJPD says Ellie was last seen alive with her father, Jared Lorenzo, at a residence in Fremont on July 11, 2024. Detectives allege that the suspect and Ellie drove to the suspect’s apartment.

On July 12, detectives learned that the suspect left his apartments just after 6 a.m. and drove to San Jose where he allegedly disposed of Ellie’s body in a trash receptacle. When the receptacle was emptied, the body was eventually transferred to the Charles Street facility.

Detectives say the suspect drove to multiple neighboring Bay Area cities before stopping in San Francisco where he was found deceased just after 11 a.m.