TULSA, Okla. –
Tulsa County Judge Sharon Holmes has been removed from a murder case after she had a private meeting with the suspect alone, in her chambers.
The judge who made the decision Monday says she has serious concerns about how Judge Holmes has handled the murder case. The Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office had filed a motion asking for Judge Holmes to be removed from the case.
The judge said it’s concerning that Judge Holmes had a private conversation with a murder suspect, and no one knows what they talked about. Plus, she says Holmes held a hearing last week without the suspect or his attorneys there, and also, the judge’s own staff was commenting on social media about this case.
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Who is the suspect in the murder case?
The suspect in the murder case is Noe Cruz. Cruz was first charged as a youthful offender in 2023 with drug trafficking and having stolen property. That case was later moved to juvenile court, and he was released to his mother even though the District Attorney objected to his release.
Four months later, in December 2023, Cruz was charged with shooting and killing a man near 21st and Garnett after two groups got into a fight. Cruz’s bond was set at one million dollars.
March 2024:
Five witnesses testified at a preliminary hearing for Cruz, and the judge decided there was enough evidence for Cruz to stand trial, and the case was assigned to Judge Sharon Holmes.
June 2024:
Cruz’ attorney’s asked for a lower bond and Holmes lowered the bond to $100,000 even though the DA objected, but Judge Holmes added house arrest, a curfew, random drug tests, no firearms and even though he hadn’t had a trial yet, she said Cruz could go to the ARISE treatment program.
Holmes later had Cruz’s house arrest and curfew removed, and allowed him to go to Texas for a trip.
March 2025:
In March, Cruz decided he wanted a trial in front of Judge Holmes instead of a jury trial, and he asked Judge Holmes to have a private meeting, so the two of them went into her office alone. To this day, no one knows what they talked about, not the DA or Cruz’s attorneys.
April 2025:
The DA asked Judge Holmes to recuse herself from the case, but she refused, so they asked another judge to remove Holmes.
The DA says in the motion, the private conversation Judge Holmes had with the murder suspect violates Rule 2.9 of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
June 2nd, 2025:
Judge Dawn Moody ruled Holmes violated rules in the Code of Judicial Conduct and removed her from the case.
The DA argues that no witness or victim’s family member would ever be allowed to have a private meeting with a judge in the case.
What is next?
Cruz’s trial was set to start next week, but that’ll be postponed while the new judge gets up to speed on the case.
News On 6 asked Cruz’s attorney for a comment, but haven’t heard back yet. We also called Judge Holmes’ office, but her bailiff said they wouldn’t comment.
