February 12, 1950

Dark History Today The Murder of Clayton Dale Elkins Lawton, Oklahoma February 12, 1950 Two old friends from Seminole — Clayton Dale Elkins and James Albert Collier Jr. — reconnect over bootleg whiskey at the Big 6 bar on a Saturday afternoon. That night, with their wives in tow, the drinking continues through two half-pints of illegal liquor, a stop at Ruth's Drive-In, and a long evening that splits the couples into separate rooms. When Elkins tells Collier's wife something that suggests her husband has been unfaithful, the night unravels fast. Tears, accusations, and a demand to leave escalate into a confrontation that ends with Collier retrieving a shotgun. At 1:15 a.m. on February 12th, the gun discharges into Elkins' abdomen. He dies four hours later. Collier claims accidental discharge during a scuffle. The jury disagrees, convicting him of first-degree manslaughter and sentencing him to thirty years in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support. You can pay more if you want to, but rent at the Safe House is still just a buck a week, and you can get access to over 400 ad-free episodes from the dusty vault, Safe House Exclusives, direct access to the Boss, and whatever personal services you require. We invite you to our other PULPULAR MEDIA podcasts: If disaster is more your jam, check out CATASTROPHIC CALAMITIES, telling the stories of famous and forgotten tragedies of the 19th and 20th centuries. What could go wrong? Everything! For brand-new tales in the old clothes from the golden era of popular literature, give your ears a treat with PULP MAGAZINES with two new stories every week. This episode includes AI-generated content.