Haynes found competent to stand trial in 2020 slayings

A Caldwell County jury in Lockhart has found 38-year-old Bryan Haynes competent to stand trial for the 2020 shooting deaths of a volunteer firefighter and his cousin near Luling, Caldwell County District Attorney Fred Weber said.

After three days of testimony, a jury of seven men and five women took two hours to determine Haynes could understand the severity of charges he was facing and that he has the mental capacity to assist in his own defense.

Haynes is accused in the June 9, 2020 slayings of Southeast Caldwell County Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Klayton Manning, 18, and his 16-year-old cousin Landin Robinson near the 4400 block of Tenney Creek Road in Tilmon.

Manning and Robinson reportedly were investigating signs of smoke when they happened upon an individual, later identified as Haynes, who opened fire on the young men, killing both.

According to published reports, including one from KVUE-TV, Haynes claimed he was being chased by aliens and indicated that he had shot the “aliens” with his gun, emptying out a pair of 17-round magazines and a pair of 10-round magazines.

Haynes remains in the Caldwell County Jail in lieu of bond on capital murder charges after being arrested at a home in Bastrop County. Caldwell County applied for a grant and has hired Lisa Tanner, a former prosecutor with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, to prosecute the case due to her extensive experience in capital murder trials.

Haynes’ first capital murder trial could be held as soon as early 2025.