An Oklahoma target practice shooting on Christmas is believed to have killed an elderly woman who was sitting on a covered front porch with family members in Comanche, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Cody Wayne Adams, 33, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death, court filings show. Investigators say Adams was firing a handgun in his backyard a few blocks away when the woman was struck Thursday afternoon.
What investigators say happened on the porch
The woman was seated on a love seat and holding a baby in her left arm when she was hit in the right upper arm, the affidavit says. The bullet then entered her chest cavity.
First responders were dispatched to the home at about 3:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office. The woman was pronounced dead soon after, the affidavit says, and authorities did not publicly release her name or age, describing her as an “elderly female.”
Family heard shots moments before she collapsed
Family members told a responding deputy they heard someone shooting five to seven rounds over several minutes north of the residence, according to the affidavit. The victim reportedly commented that someone had gotten a new gun for Christmas, then shortly afterward said “ouch” and collapsed.
Investigators used those accounts to guide an initial search of the surrounding neighborhood. The affidavit describes a canvass of homes in the direction the family believed the gunfire came from.
Deputies canvassed nearby homes and focused on one property
Law enforcement canvassed several residences north of where the woman was shot and found that all but one had “suitable shooting backstops or firing locations,” according to the affidavit. The exception, investigators said, was Adams’ residence.
Deputies also received information that Adams had received a Glock .45-caliber handgun for Christmas and that neighbors had heard him firing “about 20 rounds” Thursday afternoon, the affidavit states. Investigators say those details aligned with the timing of the shooting and the location described by the family.
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What Adams told deputies, according to the affidavit
Adams told deputies he had been shooting a Glock .45 handgun that he had recently bought for himself for Christmas, according to the affidavit. He said he was aiming at a Red Bull can in his backyard.
When a deputy said he suspected the target practice may have caused the woman’s death, Adams became visibly upset and began to cry, the affidavit states. The deputy also told him there was nothing behind his property that would stop bullets from traveling beyond it and potentially hurting someone.
Distance and direction are described in the court filing
Based on the addresses included in the affidavit, Adams’ home was about 0.3 miles from the residence where the woman was shot. The affidavit also states that, after being read his Miranda rights, Adams acknowledged he was shooting south from his residence on Thursday.
Investigators also documented the type of ammunition involved, according to the affidavit. It says the Glock handgun was loaded with about eight rounds and then 10 rounds of Winchester .45-caliber ammunition during the shooting session.
Charges filed and how prosecutors describe the alleged conduct
Deputies arrested Adams on Thursday evening after consulting with the local district attorney’s office, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office said. Court records show he was charged with first-degree manslaughter.
The charging document alleges Adams caused the woman’s death “by engaging in conduct with a firearm that created a situation of unreasonable risk and probability of death, or great bodily harm, to another person and demonstrated a conscious disregard for the safety of others.”
Authorities have emphasized that the case remains an investigation and that the allegations are based on witness accounts, neighborhood canvassing and Adams’ statements as described in the affidavit.
Court proceedings: bond set and hearing date
During an initial court appearance on Friday, Adams’ bond was set at $100,000, according to online court records cited in reporting. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 26.
A preliminary hearing is typically where prosecutors outline evidence to support the charge and a judge determines whether the case should proceed. Authorities have not said what additional evidence may be presented beyond what was described in the probable cause affidavit.
What’s next in the investigation
Investigators have not released further details about testing tied to the shooting or whether additional forensic analysis is pending. Authorities also have not publicly identified the victim, and it was not immediately clear whether family members planned to release her identity.
Officials said the case remains active as it moves through the court process. Further information is expected to come from court filings, future hearings, and updates from the sheriff’s office.
