Suvechha Sarkar
A&E’s ‘The First 48: Crossroads’ sheds light on the tragic homicide of 37-year-old Roy Wayne Cobb in August 2018. Although the case was initially assumed to be a hit-and-run, it soon changed when officials discovered that he had been shot, turning it into a homicide. Eventually, officials found incriminating CCTV footage and other evidence that helped them arrest the killer. The episode also follows the Tulsa, Oklahoma, detectives as they pursue leads during the crucial first 48 hours and features interviews with his loved ones.
Roy Cobb Sadly Passed Away After He Was Rushed to the Hospital
Roy Wayne Cobb arrived as a ray of sunshine into the lives of Vicki Jo and Dale Edward Cobb on June 2, 1981. He was born and raised in a loving household in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From a young age, he formed an incredible connection with his sisters, Robin Stephens, Minta Cobb, and Stacey Slimp, and his brother, Steven Davis. Unfortunately, the family experienced a significant tragedy when Dale unexpectedly passed away on May 15, 1985, at the age of 35. Over the years, Vicki again found love when she crossed paths with Dennis Clem. As their relationship blossomed, the pair tied the knot in the presence of their loved ones. Roy eventually graduated from high school before entering the workforce as a handyman.
In adulthood, Roy believed he had found the love of his life when he entered a relationship. It wasn’t long before he and his partner welcomed their son, Zeth Cobb, into the world. Sadly, cracks began to appear in the relationship, leading to Roy’s separation. He thought he had gotten a second chance at love when he met Kasey Sainsbury Ross. As they began dating, he occasionally stayed at her house with her son, Hadyn Lee Sainsbury, and two daughters from a previous marriage. By 2018, Roy had joined a home repair company. In his free time, he loved spending time with his friends, going on fishing trips, and enjoying car races at Tulsa Speedway. On August 8, 2018, Roy set out cycling from Kasey’s home around 8 pm.
Shortly after, authorities received a 911 call from a passing driver reporting that she had seen a bicyclist lying in the middle of the road near an American Airlines Maintenance Facility in Tulsa. When officials arrived, they initially considered it a hit-and-run case, but that soon changed upon further inspection. They noticed that the man was shot in the left abdomen, but they were unable to find any shell casings. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but he unfortunately passed away in the early hours of August 9. Officials later identified the man as Roy. Court records specify that the autopsy revealed he was shot five times. His cause of death was determined to be the gunshot wounds.
Officials Pieced Together Roy’s Last Moments Using Multiple CCTV Videos
At the scene, a witness informed the officials about hearing multiple gunshots and recalled seeing the suspect driving a green camouflaged Jeep Cherokee. After identifying Roy, detectives contacted Vicki to inform her that the 37-year-old had been shot. During the recorded call, his mother told them that she suspected Kasey’s son, Hadyn, was behind the shooting. According to police records, when they questioned Kasey and Hadyn at their home, they learned that Roy had texted his girlfriend around 8:38 pm. In her statements, she told investigators that she and Roy got into an argument. Kasey alleged that when the argument became heated, the 37-year-old hit her.
According to the officials on the show, when they reviewed the CCTV footage from Kasey’s home, they saw Roy leaving at around 8 pm, but it didn’t capture Kasey or Hadyn leaving. Surveillance footage around the area of the crime scene captured the Jeep Cherokee that the witness had mentioned. The Jeep passed through the same area shortly after the footage showed Roy cycling away from that location. Reports state that additional CCTV footage from a gas station captured the suspect’s vehicle and showed a man exiting the car. Detectives quickly noted that the man resembled Hadyn and was wearing only red shorts. Shortly after, they located the same Jeep parked at Kasey’s house, prompting them to obtain a search warrant.
During the search, investigators discovered a pair of muddy red shorts. Both Hadyn and Kasey were taken to the station, where they were interrogated. Police records specify that Kasey initially denied knowing about the murder, but later revealed that after Roy left home, she called Hadyn to inform him about the 37-year-old’s alleged abuse. In her statements, she told them that her son’s car had suddenly broken down, which was why she went to pick him up. She went on to say that when she picked up Hadyn, he told her that he had shot Roy. Upon questioning Hadyn, he initially denied his involvement but ultimately confessed that he shot Kasey’s boyfriend to protect his mother and sisters. On August 10, 2018, he was ultimately arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Hadyn Sainsbury Remains Incarcerated at an Oklahoma Prison Today
After Hadyn was taken into custody, he was held at the Tulsa County Jail. His jury trial commenced in September 2019, during which the prosecution characterized the defendant’s actions as “vigilante justice.” They argued that Hadyn had no legal justification for killing Roy, regardless of the 37-year-old’s alleged abuse. The prosecution presented multiple surveillance videos as evidence. They further pointed out that the CCTV footage from Kasey’s home on that fateful night was deleted by Hadyn. On the other hand, the defense did not dispute that the defendant shot Roy, but they alleged that Roy was abusive toward Kasey and her family.
The defense contended that Hadyn’s actions did not meet the criteria for first-degree murder. He himself testified that he deleted the CCTV footage from his home because he believed there was no reason to keep it anymore. On September 12, 2019, the jury found Hadyn not guilty of his original first-degree murder charge. However, they convicted him of the lesser-included offense of first-degree manslaughter in the heat of passion. He was ultimately sentenced to 34 years in prison, with the judge ordering that he must serve at least 85% of his sentence to become eligible for parole consideration. Hadyn is currently serving his sentence at the Great Plains Correctional Center in Hinton, Oklahoma.
