EVERETT — For a time in 2011, Oin Glenn Oakstar was front page news.
His testimony at trial was used against Shawna Forde, a former Everett City Council candidate convicted of two counts of murder in Arizona. She is now one of two women and 120 inmates on Arizona’s death row.
Three years after his testimony, Oakstar died in obscurity in Everett, the city Forde left in Washington to launch a violent border-watch group in his native Arizona.
Everett police don’t know when and why he ended up in Snohomish County, officer Aaron Snell said.
Oakstar’s body was found in a tent on railroad property close to the 41st Street overpass near I-5. His death was discovered shortly after midnight Wednesday.
Police found no obvious signs of how Oakstar died, Snell said.
They’re waiting for the Snohomish County Medical Examiner to determine the Tucson man’s cause of death. Death investigators are waiting for test results.
Oakstar has been in Washington since at least spring.
In April 2014, Oakstar, whose address at the time was a Seattle homeless shelter, was arrested for investigation of burglary. No charges were filed and he was released.
Oakstar, 43, had a history of drug dealing and use in Arizona.
He testified that Forde, a former hairdresser, planned to fund her Minutemen American Defense group by targeting drug traffickers and illegal immigrants during home invasions. On May 30, 2009, those plans led to bloodshed and the tragic death of a 9-year-old girl and the child’s father.
Forde and two followers attacked the home of Raul Flores, 29. He and his young daughter, Brisenia, were killed. The child’s mother also nearly died, but fired back, injuring one of the intruders.
At trial, Oakstar told prosecutors he’d been running drugs since he was 14 and stole several hundred pounds for marijuana from Flores, a rival in the drug trade, according to media reports.
He sensed there eventually would be a violent confrontation with Flores and discussed the home invasion plot. However, he was too drunk to participate the night Forde and co-defendant Jason Bush posed as law enforcement officers and talked their way inside. Bush was convicted and sentenced to death. A third defendant, Albert Gaxiola, also was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Oakstar was arrested after the shooting for being a felon in possession of firearms. He agreed to testify against the others in a plea deal aimed at avoiding prison time.
He signed the agreement Dec. 2, 2009. A month later, he was placed on probation, but soon violated those terms. In March 2011, he was sentenced to two years in prison and was given credit for time served.
He was released in June of 2012 and from community supervision two months later.
“He did complete his parole,” said Bill Lamoreaux, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Corrections.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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