James Ray Clayton, 26, charged with the First Degree Murder of his stepfather.
HARDESTY, OKLAHOMA -- More than 18 months after the murder of an Oklahoma Panhandle man, first degree murder charges have been filed on the alleged shooter.
Pronews 7 confirmed James Ray Clayton has been charged in Texas County, Okla., on the charges of First Degree Murder and Assault and Battery with a Deadly Weapon.
It was Dec. 30, 2009, when James Ray Clayton, now 26, allegedly shot and killed his stepfather, William Burl "Clay" Clayton, grazed his mother, Deidra Clayton with a bullet and then turned the gun on himself. Deidra Clayton was taken to Guymon's hospital and later released. The shooting happened at the Clayton's residence in Hardesty, Okla.
Clayton had just been released from protective custody at Western State Psychiatric Center, the behavioral center in Fort Supply, Okla. The family reportedly had many problems in the past and Pronews 7 confirmed Clayton has one Domestic Abuse - Assault and Battery charge stemming from an incident that happened in May 2009.
After the Dec. 30 accident, Clayton was reportedly "touch and go" at an Amarillo hospital but officials confirmed he recovered.
Much criticism arose after this incident since Clayton had just been released from a behavioral center. In a Jan. 7, 2009 interview, Hardesty Police Chief Don Brock said Clayton was a mental patient who was released when "he shouldn't have been."
According to Brock, he personally transported Clayton to Fort Supply on Dec. 28, just two days before he opened fire on his own family and then himself. Clayton was admitted to the facility for "mental instability."
Several sources close to the situation said that Clayton may have even been schizophrenic.
