The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is digging into a homicide in the small Bryan County town of Colbert after a woman was found Friday with what agents describe as injuries consistent with homicide. Authorities have identified the victim as 31-year-old Malary Clayton. A 13-year-old person of interest was later located just south of the Oklahoma–Texas line and is being held in a Texas juvenile facility.
In a post on OSBI social media, investigators said Bryan County deputies responded Friday to a residence in the 500 block of Sims Road and then called in OSBI special agents to assist. The agency identified a 13-year-old male as a person of interest and noted that the investigation is active. OSBI listed Hunter McKee ([email protected]) as the contact for the case.
Search and arrest
"There are no other suspects at large at this time," OSBI wrote. According to the agency, Grayson County deputies found the teenager across the state line and took him into custody early Saturday at about 6:30 a.m., after searches that moved back and forth across the Oklahoma–Texas border. Authorities say the juvenile is being held in a Texas juvenile facility while investigators keep building the case.
Local response
Colbert is a small town in Bryan County, and major incidents there typically draw in both county and state resources. The Bryan County Sheriff's Office, headquartered in Durant, is the primary local agency for Colbert and was first on scene at the Sims Road residence. Local officials have not released additional details, with OSBI now leading the probe.
What happens next
OSBI says the investigation remains ongoing and that, once agents are finished, the bureau will submit a full report to the Bryan County district attorney's office. The agency notes that it routinely offers investigative and forensic support to county law enforcement when requested, in line with OSBI's investigative services information.
Legal note
Because the person of interest is 13 years old, juvenile procedures and confidentiality rules will guide how the case moves forward and what is made public. Texas juvenile rules control the teen's current custody and limit what can be disclosed, and any decisions about filing charges or seeking a transfer to adult court would come from prosecutors working with juvenile authorities and local law enforcement, under Texas Juvenile Justice Department rules.
