Clinton, OK – A probable cause affidavit revealed more details surrounding the shooting death of a Clinton man last week.
According to the court document, just before 12:30 a.m. on March 4, Clinton Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Primavera Apartments, located near South 28th Street and West Hayes Avenue. Upon arrival, officers learned that 32-year-old Jesse Mendoza had been shot in the abdomen inside his apartment. Mendoza was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
According to investigators, Mendoza was in a relationship with the suspected shooter’s ex-girlfriend, and the two lived together at the apartment complex. Surveillance footage captured a woman approaching the apartment with an individual wearing a brown jacket and black ski mask. Moments later, Mendoza was heard on the same Ring doorbell camera shouting, “Joe, why’d you do that? Oh f***, I’ve been shot, call an ambulance!” A neighbor exited his apartment and saw the aftermath of the shooting before driving Mendoza to the hospital.
Clinton police interviewed both women at the hospital. Initially hesitant to reveal details, they eventually identified Hill’s ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old Joseph Tyler Layton, as the shooter. Mendoza, in his final moments, also reportedly muttered “Joe” when asked who shot him. Investigators later determined he was shot with a .38-caliber firearm.
The Custer County District Attorney’s Office filed a first-degree murder charge against Layton, and an arrest warrant was issued. By 6:00 p.m. that evening, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) located Layton in Clinton and initiated a traffic stop. During the encounter, an officer-involved shooting occurred. Layton, who was found to be in possession of a handgun, was shot and pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving measures from troopers and medical personnel. No other injuries were reported.
The OSBI continues to investigate Mendoza’s homicide, while the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety is reviewing the officer-involved shooting.
