Correction, October 21, 2026: This article has been revised to match the published appellate opinion. The earlier version misstated the deciding court, shooting date and several scene details. Unverified quotations and predictions about a retrial have been removed.
On September 25, 2025, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals reversed Jonathan Portillo Lopez’s first-degree murder conviction and ordered a new trial. The decision concerned his right to testify, rather than a finding that he acted in lawful self-defense.
What the court record establishes
The opinion identifies the victim as Jordan Ortega and dates the shooting to February 20, 2021, in Oklahoma City. It describes multiple gunshot wounds and says Lopez admitted to responding officers that he had shot Ortega, while claiming that he was protecting himself and others.
At trial, the judge ended Lopez’s testimony after he referred to Ortega’s criminal history in violation of an evidentiary ruling. The appellate court concluded that ending his testimony was an excessive sanction. It identified narrower responses, including an instruction to disregard the disputed testimony and a warning against further violations.
Why the conviction was reversed
The appellate court considered whether the error could have affected the verdict. Although it described the prosecution’s evidence of intent as substantial, it could not conclude that denying Lopez the opportunity to give his account made no difference. It therefore reversed the judgment and sentence.
How to read this decision
The useful distinction is between the evidence presented and the procedure used to test it. A reader assessing this case should examine both. Treating the reversal as proof of innocence would overstate its meaning; treating it as an insignificant technicality would overlook why the appellate court required another trial.
This report covers the published appellate decision. It does not establish a later trial date, predict testimony at another trial or report an outcome beyond that decision.
Source and corrections
Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals: Lopez v. State, 2025 OK CR 15. See paragraphs 4–7 for the events, 25–31 for the court’s analysis and 32 for its disposition.
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