Man sentenced to serve 3 years for 2020 shooting death

A Geronimo man was sentenced to prison for taking the life of Hadyn Williams, 24, in 2020.

Presiding Comanche County District Judge Emmit Tayloe followed the recommendation from the district attorney’s office and sentenced Jerry Wayne Anderson, 41, of Geronimo, to a 10-year term with three years to serve behind bars and seven years suspended after he pleaded guilty May 17 to a count of second-degree manslaughter. He will have to serve 85 percent of the three years, or just under two years and five months, before being considered for parole.

Anderson also was ordered to pay a $500 fine plus court costs and $3,306 to the Victim’s Compensation Fund.

Anderson was charged with first-degree manslaughter in September 2020 for the shooting death of Williams around 4 a.m. Sept. 10, 2020, at a motorcycle clubhouse at 1806 SW Monroe. Anderson had been handling a gun when it fired, striking Williams in the head.

The men had been drinking and Anderson was taking his Glock 9mm out to show another man when it fired. The bullet struck Williams in the right temple area and exited through his left jaw area, according to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s autopsy report.

Anderson’s January jury trial resulted in a hung jury.

Before Wednesday’s sentencing, Williams’ family members offered victim impact statements.

Kalyn Everett, Williams’ sister, spoke of the little brother she called her best friend.

“He was my everything, he was my best friend,” she said. “He was the most loyal and dependable person I have ever known. For the rest of my life, I’ll feel a pang of loneliness deep in my heart when I go to call my brother, only to remember nobody will answer that phone again.”

Following the shooting, Anderson had described Williams as his “brother” and “best friend” to investigators. Williams’ brother, Daniel, said Anderson doesn’t get that privilege.

“I am Hadyn’s only true brother, you never were,” he said, directing the words toward the man who took Williams’ life. “He was the best big brother and now I can’t enjoy life without him.”

Both siblings spoke of not only them being in therapy, but Williams’ 13-year-old niece and 9-year-old nephew also being in weekly therapy. Daniel Williams said he hoped that while Anderson is behind bars he takes the time to come to terms with what he caused.

“It’s never going to go away; it’s going to haunt you to the grave,” he said. “Because of you, he is gone, he is gone forever.”

“I hope you think of all of our words while you’re sitting in jail and remember it the rest of your life,” he said.

Anderson has been free on $15,000 bond since his initial court appearance on Sept. 16, 2020. In the time since then, he has become a father.

After receiving his sentence, Anderson waived the right to remain in the Comanche County Detention Center for at least 10 days before transport to intake with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Following the hearing, Anderson stepped to a waiting deputy and was handcuffed before being led to the jail.

Everett spoke of her late-brother and the three years of “hell” the family has been through since Hadyn Williams’ death.

“He was a lot of things to a lot of people, he was my brother,” she said, “and I am just happy that after this day this is over.”