Witness Testimony Reveals Motives Behind 35-Year-Old OKC Murder

Stolen drugs and rape accusations are motives believed to have fueled a murder 35 years ago. The accused killer Raul Sierra, 67, is on trial in Oklahoma County after being on the run for three decades.

The day started with an unusual order from the judge. He told Sierra’s sister to stop hand signaling the defendant and to not speak to witnesses.

Once that was made clear, the prosecution continued questioning John Walters, a witness who bought drugs from Sierra in the early 1980s.

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Walters also let Sierra stay in his Northwest Oklahoma City home in November of 1982. The home where Sierra is accused of killing 23-year-old Roberto Matos Osorio.

Walters said Osorio was an enforcer and a drug mule for Sierra.

The defense cross examined Walters for inconsistencies in previous interviews with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and court testimony. Walters was never charged with a crime and said he has always cooperated with authorities.

The second witness Michael Huffman, a drug dealer for Sierra in 1982, was at the home the night Osorio was shot while he slept.

He testified Sierra was angry at Osorio for allegedly raping two women and stealing drugs.

He said Sierra had a sawed-off shotgun and another man had a pistol. The second gunman is no longer alive.

Investigators said the victim was shot at close range in the head and later dumped near a bridge in Pottawatomie County.

Huffman said he was forced to clean up after the murder and put the body in the trunk of Sierra’s car.

Testimony will continue Thursday morning.