Cody Wayne Adams, a 33-year-old man from Oklahoma, was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing an elderly neighbour while carrying out target practice in his backyard.
The woman, identified as Sandra Phelps by People Magazine, was reportedly sitting on her front porch while holding a baby, a few blocks away from Adams’ location, when the stray bullet fatally struck her.
According to court records obtained by the outlet, Adams has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the incident.
As per an official press release from the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Survival Flight EMS and Meridian Fire Department responded to reports of a person sustaining a gunshot wound at a home in Comanche at around 3:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, December 25, 2025.
Phelps was reportedly sitting on her porch, holding a baby in her left arm and chatting with family members when a bullet first struck her in the arm and then in the chest. She collapsed on the scene and was pronounced dead by authorities.
A probable cause affidavit stated, “The group heard someone shooting periodically 5-7 rounds over several minutes to the north of the residence. Sandra commented that someone got a new gun for Christmas, and then shortly after, Sandra said ‘ouch’ and collapsed. There were no further gunshots after this.”
Officials noted that the woman was possibly struck in the upper right arm, and the bullet entered “her chest cavity just below the armpit.” They mentioned that the shot “would have been at an extremely downward angle.”
Investigators who searched the area following the shooting reportedly found many houses with “suitable shooting backstops or firing locations.”
A resident then informed authorities that a neighbor had received a new handgun for Christmas and had shot “about 20 rounds” that afternoon.
Officials then arrived at Adams’ house, and the latter informed them about buying himself a Glock 45 as a Christmas present. Adams further shared that he had been using the weapon to shoot at a Red Bull can in his backyard.
An Oklahoma man who was doing target practice in his backyard on Christmas is believed to have shot and killed an elderly woman a few blocks from his home, authorities said. https://t.co/Nqr0HTwtwV pic.twitter.com/auIAxAJlUj
— ABC News (@ABC) December 27, 2025
Investigators further reported that they found several spent casings on the ground in Adams’ backyard and noticed that the police lights at Phelps’ home were visible from the Adams’ shooting location.
Per the affidavit, officials eventually told Adams about Phelps’ death and said that they suspected he may have shot her during the practice. The 33-year-old reportedly became upset upon hearing the truth and began to cry.
Stephens County Sheriff’s Office Captain Timothy Vann said, “[A] small piece of ceramic tile that appeared to have been hit and broken by one or more bullets. This plus the angle of the shooting by Adams would account for the high angle of entry by the bullet into Sandra.”
He further added, “I also noted to Adams that while he was shooting towards the ground in his backyard that there was nothing behind his property to stop any bullets from traveling beyond his property and hurting someone.”
The man later confessed to the cops that he had been practicing and fired shots to the south from his residence during the afternoon. In response to his bullet causing Phelps’ death, Adams simply said, “I’m sorry.”
Per the latest update, Adams’ bond has been set at $100,000, and his preliminary court hearing has been scheduled for February 26, 2026.
