Man and Woman Charged in Nearly 40-Year-Old Cold-Case Murder of Man in Okla. Motel Room

A Texas woman and a Wyoming man have been charged with the murder of an Oklahoma man found dead in his motel room in 1983.

On Friday, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced 58-year-old Erlene Lee and 61-year-old Willie Moore were charged with first degree murder for their role in the death of Anthony Baltes nearly four decades ago.

According to the Tulsa Police Department, Baltes was found dead in his motel room on Sept. 18, 1983. He had been tied up and strangled, and robbery was believe to be the motive, though no arrests were ever made.

Baltes was last seen alive leaving a bar with a woman in her twenties, Tulsa World reports.

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Recent advancements in DNA technology led authorities to Lee, who lives in Texas, and Moore, who lives in Wyoming, and a multicounty grand jury indicted them for the crime.

“Anthony Baltes died a horrible death 36 years ago, but that passage of time doesn’t mean those responsible aren’t going to be held accountable,” Hunter said in a statement. “Thanks to advances in DNA technology and our law enforcement partners joining in our efforts, we have been able to clear many cold cases.”

Baltes’ daughter, Becky Baltes, told Fox 23 in a statement: “We hope and pray that all our questions will finally be answered from the day that changed our lives forever and bring closure to the hearts of our family.”