Preliminary hearing begins for man accused of rape, murder

(Sapulpa-AP) -- The preliminary hearing is being held today for a 19-year old Oilton man accused of murder, rape and kidnapping.

Robert Wayne Rotramel is accused in the death of seven-year-old Kristi Blevins and the rape of a 12-year-old girl on August 19th.

In testimony at the hearing this morning, Dennis Franchini, an investigator for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, says he interviewed the 12-year-old after the alleged incidents. He says the girl indicated that Rotramel had raped her and threatened to kill her.

He says the girl said Rotramel had forced she and Blevins into an abandoned house where he committed the alleged acts.

O-S-B-I special agent John Huntington interviewed Rotramel the morning after the girls were discovered with Rotramel in the house.

He says Rotramel's story changed during their conversation. He says Rotramel first said he had been involved in the attacks on the two girls, but at one point indicated another man had been involved but ran away.

Testimony in the hearing is scheduled to continue this afternoon.