On October 27, 2024, Hayden Smith, a 30-year-old resident of Abilene, Texas, was fatally shot following an altercation at Spanky P's bar located on South Seventh Street. The incident began inside the bar, where a verbal confrontation between Smith and another individual, identified as 32-year-old Anthony Evans, escalated when Smith slapped Evans. The confrontation continued outside in the parking lot, where Evans allegedly shot Smith multiple times.
Smith was transported to Hendrick Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, Evans fled the scene but later surrendered to authorities at a law office on October 28, 2024. He was arrested and charged with murder, with an initial bond set at $500,000. During a court appearance on November 15, 2024, Evans's bond was reduced to $300,000. Court documents indicate that surveillance footage captured the altercation, showing Smith slapping Evans inside the bar, followed by the subsequent shooting in the parking lot. The documents also note that Smith did not appear to be armed during the incident.
Hayden Smith was a self-employed welder and a father of two children, Caroline and Wesson. A GoFundMe campaign was established to support his children in the wake of his passing.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Smith's death is ongoing, as the community seeks justice and mourns the loss of a beloved father and friend.
