Wanda Cartagena was a trusting and sweet 17-year-old girl who was deeply devoted to her family. Remembered by loved ones as being “really just a kid herself,” she was a loving mother to her toddler daughter, Amanda, and was excitedly awaiting the birth of her second child, a baby girl. Wanda was close to her siblings and extended family, and on the last day of her life, she had spent happy hours laughing with them at her aunt’s home in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The joy of that summer day turned to tragedy on the afternoon of August 14, 1989. Wanda’s boyfriend returned to their apartment on Mill Street in Springfield from his workday to make a horrifying discovery. Around 4:30 p.m., he found Wanda deceased inside their home. Her life had been taken by asphyxiation; a plastic bag had been placed over her head and secured with a drawstring.
Miraculously, her young daughter, Amanda, was found physically unharmed in her playpen nearby.
Just hours before she was killed, Wanda had been visiting with her aunt, Idaliz Ortiz. She was hesitant to stay too late, expressing worry that her boyfriend might be upset if she did. The next day, Ortiz received the devastating news of her niece's murder, a loss that would leave her to forever wonder if things could have been different. The brutal death of the pregnant teenage mother sent a shockwave of grief through her family and the community, leaving questions that would linger for decades.
The investigation into Wanda’s homicide was launched by the Springfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. In the years that followed, the case grew cold, but it was never closed. Decades later, Wanda's case is among those being re-examined by the Hampden County District Attorney's Office and the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Cases Unit. Investigators are hopeful that advances in forensic science, particularly modern DNA testing technology, might finally unlock the evidence needed to identify the person responsible for the double homicide of Wanda and her unborn daughter.
As of May 2026, the murder of Wanda Cartagena remains an open and active investigation. Her family continues to wait for justice, holding onto the memory of a sweet young woman whose life, and the life of her child, were stolen far too soon. There is no statute of limitations on murder, and authorities remain committed to bringing resolution to Wanda's loved ones.
Investigators urge anyone who may have seen or heard anything, no matter how insignificant it may have seemed at the time, to come forward. Information about this case can be directed to the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at 413-787-6355 or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 1-855-MA-SOLVE (1-855-627-6583).
