Murder, kidnapping cases top third week of trials in Comanche County

The third week of the Comanche County felony jury trial docket begins Monday with a pair of high-profile cases, including a murder trial.

A 62-year-old man accused of killing another man following a 2023 argument will begin trial Monday in Comanche County Presiding District Judge Emmit Tayloe’s court.

Jury selection will begin in the trial of Johnny Clifton Taylor, of Lawton, for felony charges of first-degree murder — deliberate intent, and possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, records indicate. The murder charge is punishable by life in prison or life without parole.

Taylor admitted to police to shooting Joe E. Sawyer Jr. in the left chest, killing him the afternoon of Jan. 25, 2023, in the living room at 1102 NW Birch. Taylor said he’d come out of his room because he was tired of Sawyer and a woman arguing and being loud in the living room, the probable cause affidavit states. He said Sawyer became aggressive when confronted and struck him several times atop the head with brass knuckles.

Taylor told police he retrieved his Luger semi-automatic pistol from its lock box in his room before returning to the living room where he fired “several shots in the floor of the living room,” the affidavit states. When Sawyer came toward him, Taylor said he shot him in the chest.

Records indicate Taylor has a June 1994 conviction in the 173rd District Court of Texas for aggravated assault causing great bodily injury.

Taylor remains jailed on $500,000 bond.

On Thursday, Tayloe’s court will be the setting for a trial of a man accused of kidnapping a Lyft driver before making him drive them to commit gunplay.

Augustin Lester Suarez-Oliver, 24, of Lawton, will begin trial for assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and feloniously pointing a firearm, records indicate.

Originally, David Jon Simmons, III, of Lawton, was charged with Suarez-Oliver with accessory to a felony but the charge has since been dropped.

The Lyft driver told police a woman ordered his services on May 30, 2022, to pick up her boyfriend, Simmons. He picked up Simmons and Suarez-Oliver in the 1700 block of Southwest 12th Street and while en route to the drop off in the 2400 block of Northwest 22nd Street, he was asked to stop at a convenience store, the warrant affidavit states. He then took them to the drop off.

When they arrived, the driver said, he was told to return to an apartment complex in the 2400 block of NW 22nd. Once there, he said, a gunshot was fired at his car and Suarez-Oliver pulled out a gun and fired “several times” from the back window, the affidavit states.

The driver said he tried to get out of the car before he felt the barrel of the gun pressed to his head and he was told to stay in the car and drive away “or else,” according to the affidavit. He drove to the Stripes at 2108 N. Sheridan and the men got out of the car and fled.

Later, a resident of the apartment complex found her vehicle had been shot “several times” and suffered about $1,054 in damages, the affidavit states.

Suarez-Oliver is being held on $100,000 bond.