Elk City, OK – A Beckham County jury has found Clayton Samson Hays guilty of first-degree murder in the January 2024 shooting death of Colter Jake Vaught. Hays was originally charged with first-degree manslaughter but prosecutors later pursued a first-degree murder charge. While awaiting trial, Hays made headlines again in May 2024 when he was accused of desecrating a roadside memorial for Vaught. He was arrested the following day and booked back into the Beckham County Jail. With Friday’s guilty verdict, Hays now faces life in prison.