A sprawling Woodward County child abuse investigation that authorities say spilled into a retaliatory shooting is now locked onto the district court calendar. Mooreland resident Tyler Valdez is set for a five-day jury trial beginning April 20, 2026. Co-defendants Krista Fizer and Wayland Martin are on separate tracks: Fizer has a motion hearing March 12, 2026, and Martin’s jury trial is currently listed for May 18, 2026.
How the probe began
The case started in June 2025 when a 16-month-old was taken to a Woodward emergency room with injuries doctors said were consistent with sexual trauma, triggering an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation inquiry. According to The Woodward News, the University of Oklahoma Medical Center Child Protection Team reviewed the file and concluded the injuries were the result of abuse. Prosecutors then charged Valdez with sexual abuse of a child under 12. Court records cited by the outlet show Valdez remained in custody and was ordered to have no contact with minor children while the case moves forward.
What prosecutors say and the shooting
Investigators have linked a June shooting in Mooreland to the child abuse probe and say Valdez was struck during the exchange and hospitalized for several weeks, as reported by News 9. Law enforcement later arrested Fizer and Martin and charged them in connection with the gunfire. The complaint lists counts of shooting with intent to kill for both, along with additional assault and conspiracy allegations for Fizer.
Both Fizer and Martin have denied firing the shots, and OSBI forensic work - including gunshot-residue testing - was cited in local coverage of the arrests. Those lab results, along with witness statements, are expected to feature prominently when the cases reach a jury.
Court calendar and next steps
According to The Woodward News, Valdez’s April proceeding is set as a five-day jury trial, preceded by a March 26 pretrial conference and deadlines for motions and exhibit exchanges. Fizer has pleaded not guilty and is due back in Woodward County for her March 12 motion hearing, while Martin has not waived preliminary protections and remains on the calendar for his May trial date. Protective orders are in place to keep the parties separated while the three cases move through district court.
Local reporting and an OSBI press release indicate the case has stirred strong feelings in the small community. Some residents have publicly voiced support for Fizer, and an online fundraising effort surfaced to help cover her legal bills, News 9 noted. Investigators say they are still gathering and testing evidence while prosecutors prepare additional filings. So far, no plea deals have been announced, and attorneys on both sides are gearing up for the coming motion hearings and pretrial conferences.
What the charges carry
The potential penalties are severe. Under Oklahoma law, child sexual abuse involving victims under 12 carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years to life in prison, as set out in state statutes summarized on Justia. Shooting-related felonies and assault counts can add decades more if convictions follow.
Prosecutors say they plan to present forensic, medical and testimonial evidence in district court. Defense attorneys, for their part, have signaled they will challenge key elements of the state’s case at the upcoming motion hearings, setting the stage for what could be a tense run-up to trial in Woodward County.
