roa sierra was the youngest child of rafael roa and encarnación sierra and had 13 siblings. in his book "el crimen del siglo" ("the crime of the century") writer and playwright miguel torres reports that juan roa sierra was born in the neighbourhood “egipto” (egypt) in bogotá, very near the humble residence where jorge eliécer gaitán was born. his father was a stonemason and died from a respiratory illness, probably caused by his work.