On a cold winter morning, January 11, 2024, the life of Colter Jake Vaught, a 42-year-old White male from Sayre, Oklahoma, was tragically cut short. The fatal encounter unfolded on a roadway near an oilfield business in the 900 block of South Merritt Road, just west of Elk City. Vaught, a dedicated volunteer firefighter, was pronounced dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound to the chest, leaving a community in shock and mourning.
The man responsible for the shooting, 37-year-old
Clayton Samson Hays of Carter, immediately contacted 911, claiming he had shot a man who was attempting to break into his semi-truck. When law enforcement arrived, they took Hays into custody. In his initial statement to investigators, Hays alleged that Vaught had tried to enter his truck at a stop sign and began hitting him, prompting him to fire his 9mm handgun in self-defense. However, authorities noted that a visual inspection of Hays revealed no injuries consistent with a physical altercation, casting early doubt on his version of events.
As the investigation deepened, a history of animosity between the two men came to light. Law enforcement had responded to a verbal dispute between Hays and Vaught just weeks prior to the fatal shooting. This pre-existing conflict, coupled with the lack of physical evidence to support a self-defense claim, led to Hays being charged. Initially held on a complaint of first-degree manslaughter, he was booked into the Beckham County Detention Center.
The legal proceedings took a bizarre and disturbing turn months later. After posting a $500,000 bond in late March, Hays was arrested again in May. He was accused of desecrating a roadside memorial set up to honor Vaught. Witnesses reported seeing someone throw a bag containing animal feces at the memorial cross. GPS data from the ankle monitor Hays was required to wear as a condition of his release allegedly placed him at the scene at the exact time of the incident. This act led to an additional charge of outraging public decency and his return to jail.
Following the desecration incident, prosecutors moved forward with a more severe charge. On October 3, 2025, after a five-day trial in Beckham County District Court, a jury found Clayton Samson Hays guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Colter Vaught. The jury recommended a life sentence for the crime. A formal sentencing hearing was scheduled for the following month to make the final determination.
