October 11, 2025 Issue, Page 9 of 12

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NEWS The Elk City News SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2025 • 9 messages from Hays to Vaught dat- was referring to her own father be- The medical examiner testified Hays’s defense argued that it was the trial faithfully. HAYS ing back to 2018 that Hays admitted were “childish.” cause he was known by the same name. that Vaught’s body had no nitrates upon it. That testimony stated that, reasonable for Hays not to have any bruising on his arms because Hays was the final witness. Before the defense and prosecu- Continued from page 1 The prosecution also showed the However, McPhearson repeated- for the particular gun, a person or he was wearing a heavy wool-type tion made their closing arguments, jury a public Facebook post that ly asked if Hays had any reason to object would need to be at least 36 sweater. Hays’s defense called this a both sides could make arguments with the motivation that Hays was Hays had made in the months be- believe that Silk’s father would be inches away from the weapon in or- reasonable explanation for why he about the rules of what the jury acting out of anger and jealousy for fore Vaught’s shooting death that dying. der not to have nitrates. might not have had bruising. would be allowed to consider. Vaught. centered around Vaught being Hays admitted that he had no Hays said on the stand that Hays’s defense called a defense Attorneys from both sides met The defense argued that Hays around Hays’s daughter. reason to believe that. Vaught was trying to “come inside” expert who gave jurors different privately with presiding Judge Don- had acted in self-defense, alleging Hays included a photograph of Text messages showed that the open window of his semi-truck. scenarios where the shooting could na Dirickson. that Vaught had parked his vehicle Vaught with Hays’s daughter in that Silk had informed Hays that their Hays stated that Vaught had have happened, as Hays recounted. Both sides then returned to the and attempted to climb into Hays’s post. He then wrote a post stating daughter was not at Lynn Vaught’s grabbed hold of both his arms. Hays also stated that he had a chamber to make their public ar- semi-truck to attack him. that Vaught was hanging around his residence. ADA McPhearson asked, “So then beard at the time of the shooting, guments about the rules and the Hays and his semi-truck were daughter because Vaught’s minor Hays still stated that he was com- you had to know that he did not which could have made scratches charges. parked outside of Vaught’s place children “suck” and calling himself ing to Lynn Vaught’s home. have a weapon in either hand?” or bruises difficult to see. The jury was not present during of employment at the time of the the “cooler” man. Hays said he knew Lynn Vaught McPhearson also noted that The five-day trial also included this time. shooting. The prosecution also showed lived around the section line, but he Hays had no bruises or scratches testimony from multiple first re- The defense argued that the jury Pond, on Hays’s behalf, argued that Vaught had responded to the also called another person to verify on his body or face, which raises the sponders. should only be allowed to consider that Hays was in that place not to post. exactly where the house was. question of whether Vaught had ac- Through this, jurors learned that first-degree murder and not both do harm or provoke Vaught, but In his post, Vaught told Hays During this time, Hays and Silk tually been that close. Hays had sent text messages in a it and first-degree manslaughter in because Hays’s shop was located that his daughter was a great child exchanged a phone call. Hays also admitted that the win- group message to Silk and Vaught the heat of passion. in close proximity to Patterson Oil but that his minor children did not On the stand, Hays said that Silk dow of his semi-truck was small both the day before the murder and Attorney Pond stated that he Tools. “suck.” had asked him not to come to the and would have been difficult for an the day of the murder. believed the two are contradictory Hays had stated that he was in The prosecution also centered house of the dying man. adult to crawl through. Again, Hays admitted on the and that jurors should only be able the process of driving his semi to part of its argument on an alterca- Silk also texted Hays and told Hays still insisted that he was un- stand that these texts could be seen to select one. Kansas for work. tion in early December 2023. him they were at the R&R, a conve- sure if Vaught was armed. as “childish.” The prosecution argued that ju- In the original affidavit filed This occurred at the rural home nience store in Carter. Although Vaught had no weap- In one of the last texts, Hays told rors should be able to consider both against Hays, Beckham County of Vaught’s now deceased father, He and his friend still arrived at on on his person at the time of the the couple to stop “stonewalling” charges. Sheriff ’s Office investigators noted Lynn Vaught. Lynn Vaught’s home despite know- shooting, investigators found two him and said they must communi- The judge ruled with the prose- a “long history” between Hays and At the time, the Vaught family ing that his daughter was not there. firearms — a handgun and a long- cate. cution, giving jurors both options. Vaught. had been told through hospice that According to Hays’s testimony, range rifle — inside his pickup Approximately 26 minutes had The jury received the case at ap- Despite the documented “long Lynn Vaught would be dying likely he was shoved back into the passen- truck parked closely by. passed between the last text Hays proximately 8 p.m. to deliberate and history” between the two men, the within the day after a lengthy ill- ger seat of the vehicle he had arrived Vaught had emerged from that sent in the group message until his give their ruling. jury heard audio of Hays’s initial ness. in and was asked to leave. truck only seconds before. 911 call saying that he had shot a The jurors then returned ap- 911 call immediately following the On this evening, Hays admitted McPhearson asked Hays if he had Hays also both stated and man. proximately 2-2.5 hours later with a shooting, where he told the 911 dis- that he and a friend had been to then gone and gotten his daughter. demonstrated for the jury that he Hays had initially been charged guilty verdict for first-degree mur- patcher that he did not know the Boomtown and had “a few beers.” Hays admitted that he did not had been holding the gun close to with manslaughter. der. identity of the man he had just shot. During this time, Hays texted and instead went to Wheeler, Texas. his own face at the time he fired the After Hays was able to be bonded Jurors were also given the choice The “long history” revolved Silk about their young daughter, Another central witness for the weapon. out of jail, he was quickly charged between sentencing Hays to life around Vaught’s previous marriage saying he wanted to see her. Testi- prosecution was Hays’s former girl- Investigators found that no gun- with outraging public decency after with the possibility of parole or life to Brianne Silk, with whom he had mony showed that Hays regularly friend. shot residue, or GSR, was found on he collected cat feces and dumped it without the possibility of parole. two children. saw his child and would keep her This witness told the jury that Hays’s face or steering wheel, which upon a memorial set up in Vaught’s In Oklahoma, life is considered After Vaught and Silk had di- for overnight visits. Hays had previously said to her that the prosecution argued meant that memory outside of Patterson Oil 45 years up to natural life. vorced, Silk entered into a relation- Through the text exchange, Silk he would kill Vaught if he could he must have been holding the gun Tools. Because of Oklahoma’s 85% ship with Hays. informed Hays that she was open “get away with it” to prevent Vaught down further. The courtroom was packed mandate for violent crimes, parole That relationship produced a to that, but that the family had been from being around Hays’s daughter. The prosecution also argued that, throughout the weeklong trial, cannot be considered for 38.5 years. third child. told “Papa” was likely to die within Jurors also heard from the med- had Hays shot Vaught from the an- primarily with friends and family Hays received life with the possi- However, after Silk and Hays had a few hours. ical examiner’s office to explain gle he claimed, the bullet would members of Vaught’s. bility of parole. ended their relationship, she and On the stand, Hays told ADA physical evidence from the shoot- have had to travel through the Hays also had a small group of He will be formally sentenced in Vaught reconciled. McPhearson that he believed Silk ing. semi’s door. friends and family who attended November. The prosecution produced text ELK CITY Ladies of the Homecoming Court still perform during the Home- coming game. The Big Elk Special Olympics team and their Unified Partners traveled to Yukon recently to compete in horseshoes. They had fun and brought home hardware. Pictures by Leslie Mikles. Good Luck Area Teams! We want to wish you a great season! :UG6W (ON&LW\2.   Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ZZZSL]]DKXWFRP ELK CITY: 2714 W. 3rd St. • 102 S. 580-225-2580 Main St.•580.225.2580 https//www.fnbec.bank 2017 W. Third | 1300 S. Main | gpbankok.com &DUU\RXW‡&XUEVLGH‡'HOLYHU\ *UHDW3ODLQV Carry-out • Hut Lane • Delivery 2017 W. Third | 1300 S. Main | Elk City Wal-Mart | gpbankok.com SAYRE: 711 NE Highway 66 • 580-928-2580 1DWLRQDO%DQN 580-225-2265 Good Luck Teams! We hope each of you have a great season! We hope 1210 S. Main St, Elk City you have 580-225-0100 Elk City Nursing Home a great www.elksupply.com 301 N. Garrett, Elk City 580-225-2811 580.243.0466 year!