San Angelo Woman Takes Plea Deal in Murder Over Weed

SAN ANGELO, TX – The first suspect in the murder of a San Angelo man  was given six years probation in court on Monday.

According to court documents, Sierra Camarillo, 22, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence that will give her six years probation.

As previously reported, on Feb. 25, officers with the San Angelo Police Department were dispatched to the Resort at Riverside Apartments, 3302 N Bryant Blvd, for the report of a murder.

When the officers arrived they found a man who was dead, lying face down, in the kitchen area of the apartment. 

Also in the apartment were Kortnee Leal, Grace Sanchez, Nathaniel Gonzales, and Sierra Camarillo.

Officers first spoke with Camarillo.

She told officers that she had shot the man, identified as Rey Robles Jr. She claimed she killed him in an act of self defense after Robles allegedly attacked Nathaniel Gonzales. 

Robles allegedly went to the apartment complex to smoke the Devil's Lettuce, or marijuana, with the group and his hosts told police that they caught Robles stealing from them. Camarillo claimed that Robles began pounding Gonzales with a handgun when Robles was accused of stealing. Then, Camarillo recalled, Robles accidentally dropped the handgun leaving an opening for Camarillo to act. She said she picked up the gun and shot Robles multiple times, court documents revealed. She told police that prior to the fight, Robles cocked the gun and a live round fell onto the kitchen floor. Camarillo told police she shot Robles in defense of Gonzales and that the entire incident took place in the kitchen.

After learning this, police wanted to verify Camarillo's truthfulness. First, officers located the live round that fell on the ground. The round was found in the doorway of Camarillo's bedroom doorway several feet away from the kitchen. 

The officers also found a spent casing in the living room and another cartridge in the kitchen. But Camarillo initially told police the shooting happened in the kitchen. Why was there a spent casing in the living room? Police suspected Camarillo's testimony was a lie.

Officers then spoke with the other three at the smoking party who told them what really happened. What stood out in police investigators' minds was that everyone inside the apartment when the shooting happened knew the victim. But police soon discovered there was another person at the apartment that night.

The group said the other person, Mauricio "Narco" Portillo, along with Gonzales planned to sell Robles marijuana at the apartment. While inside, Robles asked the two to weigh out the amount of marijuana that he was about to purchase. During the weighing, an argument broke out, where Robles pulled a pistol and began hitting Gonzales and pointing his handgun at the others, threatening them. 

This is when "Narco" allegedly pulled out a gun of his own and shot Robles once in the neck. After Robles fell to the floor, Narco stood over him, aimed a handgun at him, and shot him again.

It didn't take long for police to find and arrest Narco. Mauricio "Narco" Portillo was booked into the Tom Green County Jail for Murder. He also has other charges including a previous Assault that Caused Bodily Injury to a Family Member charge from July 2020 and one miscellaneous Capias Pro Fine. His bond is set at $505,072.

Gonzales was charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. He is also facing manslaughter charges from an earlier shooting at the Koberlin Apartments that occurred in August 2020. His bond is set at $75,000. 

Camarillo, who police say lied to authorities in order to take all of the blame for shooting and killing Robles as an act of self defense, was charged with tampering with evidence. She remained in jail until she took the plea deal.

Camarillo was released to follow the terms of the probation.