Casper Man Charged With Shooting Father to Face Trial
A Casper man charged with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting his father last year will go to trial in Natrona County District Court.
Vincent Daniel Hayes, born in 1983, was charged with killing William Johnson at his home on Nov. 11-12, 2021, according to court documents filed that month.
However, Hayes underwent a mental health evaluation to determine whether he would be competent to stand trial.
He was.
So the Natrona County District Attorney's Office decided to prosecute him and filed the single second-degree murder count on Dec. 7.
Conviction of second-degree murder is punishable by not less than 20 years imprisonment.
He remains in custody on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Johnson's widow said that they had moved from Mead, Colorado, to Casper in 2020, and Hayes moved in with them in October 2021.
A decade earlier, she said their daughter Elizabeth John had sexually transitions to their new son Vincent Hayes, and was later diagnosed with multiple personality disorder.
One of his personalities was named Reno. The evening of the shooting, "Reno" and Johnson began arguing over lifestyle choices.
At some point, Hayes and Johnson retrieved handguns and waved them at each other.
Johnson sat down in a recliner and said something Hayes didn't like, so Hayes shot his father (Johnson) several times, according to the affidavit.