Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life for 1990 Cold Case Murder Solved Through DNA Evidence
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that 65-year-old Randall Oyler has been sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for the 1990 murder of Margaret Orozco Jackson, 47, whose body was discovered on a hillside in Scripps Ranch more than three decades ago.
[WATCH: Emotional victim impact statement by the victim’s niece at the sentencing hearing, here.]
On May 19, 2026, a downtown San Diego jury convicted Oyler of first-degree murder following a trial that highlighted the critical role of DNA technology and the perseverance of law enforcement investigators who never stopped pursuing justice for the victim.
“This case is a powerful reminder that justice has no expiration date,” DA Stephan said. “For 35 years, Margaret Jackson’s family waited for answers. Thanks to DNA evidence and the unwavering commitment of investigators and prosecutors, the person responsible for this brutal murder has finally been held accountable. Cold case victims matter, and our office will continue to pursue justice no matter how much time has passed.”
On July 11, 1990, a woman walking to work discovered a length of rope on a sidewalk near Scripps Ranch Boulevard. The rope led down a hillside to the body of Margaret Orozco Jackson. Investigators determined Jackson had been beaten and strangled, with the rope wrapped around her neck.
Despite extensive investigative efforts at the time, the case remained unsolved for decades.
The breakthrough came when the defendant’s DNA was entered into CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) when he was convicted of drug trafficking in 2018. The DNA from the victim was tested and uploaded following further work by SDPD cold case homicide investigators. DNA recovered from beneath Jackson’s fingernails and from other areas of her body was matched to Oyler, identifying him as the suspect more than 30 years after the crime occurred.
Oyler was arrested in 2023 while already in custody on a probation violation. During the investigation, prosecutors obtained incriminating statements Oyler made while speaking with an undercover jail operative posing as an inmate. Jurors heard recordings in which Oyler discussed the circumstances of the killing. In one conversation, he acknowledged that the victim had scratched him. In another, he stated that he had “thrown her down a hill.”
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Chris Lindberg, who leads the DA’s Cold Case Homicide Unit.
“The successful resolution of this case demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence and continuing to review unsolved homicides,” DA Stephan said. “We are grateful to the investigators, forensic scientists, and prosecutors whose dedication made this conviction possible. I want to especially thank our DA’s office lead cold case prosecutor Chris Lindberg for his outstanding work on this case.”
If you have information about a cold case homicide, contact the San Diego County District Attorney Cold Case Connection at (619) 515-TIPS (8477).
