Police release surveillance video of deadly road rage incident

A screenshot from the video showing the moments before Patrick Hayes was shot to death by Greg Kyle DeBoer on Sept. 25, 2024. Photo: Wasatch County Attorney’s Office

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah – Video surveillance footage, used by Wasatch County police in the investigation of Patrick Hayes’ homicide, has been released as public record. It shows what happened in the moments before Hayes, a resident of Hideout, was shot to death by Greg Kyle DeBoer, who claimed he acted in self defense.

Wasatch County Sheriff, Jared Rigby, said in a previous interview with TownLift investigators do not have evidence that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that DeBoer did not act out of self defense late on the night of September 25, 2024 just outside the gate house to Ross Creek along the shore of the Jordanelle Reservoir. For this reason, Rigby said, the only charge that will be brought against DeBoer is obstruction of justice – a felony carrying one to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. After DeBoer shot and killed Hayes, he fled the scene of the crime, did not call 911 and went home to bury the gun and ammunition he used in his back yard.

DeBoer, 62 and a resident of Browns Canyon, was scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in 4^th District Court on Wednesday morning, Jan. 22.

(Warning: this video contains graphic content. Portions of the audio have been muted.)

“It took us several weeks to track him down, and to to find out a lot of these answers and and get the data off of off of devices, to try to piece those things together. So we know a significant amount of what happened, but we don’t know 100%,” Rigby told TownLift.

In the video, Hayes pulls in to the Ross Creek entrance partially within the scope of what the gatehouse surveillance system shows. Hayes was presumably on his way home – he lived not far from the scene – but it is not known why he pulled over. DeBoer, who lives in Brown’s Canyon, continued to follow Hayes for more than a mile before he pulled up behind Hayes at the Ross Creek entrance.

“It’s been debated extensively and discussed,” Rigby told the Park Record. “The facts are that the defendant followed Mr. Hayes on 248 further than the turn for where he would normally go to his residence. … It is concerning to us that the defendant followed Mr. Hayes more than a mile.”

Hayes is shown exiting his vehicle and walking toward DeBoer’s vehicle. DeBoer then lurches forward toward Hayes, hits the brakes as Hayes steps out of the way, then turns and drives toward him again.

Hayes is heard taunting DeBoer from the passenger’s side of DeBoer’s car. Then, a single gunshot rings out. Hayes is heard moaning in pain and DeBoer drives away from the scene.

Investigators interviewed DeBoer in mid-November, during which he reportedly admitted to shooting Hayes in self-defense and burying the gun near his home.

Hayes’ fiance, SueAnn Kern, has been actively posting on the platform NextDoor. Recently, she wrote encouraging people to write letters or victim’s impact statements to be sent to the Wasatch County attorney’s office.

“It is the words of one man against no words from a dead man,” Kern said.