Cody Wayne Adams, 33, was arrested in Stephens County, Oklahoma, following the fatal shooting of his neighbor, Sandra Phelps, who was sitting on her front porch holding a child when the stray bullet struck her. According to a sheriff’s affidavit, deputies were called to the scene north of Comanche on Christmas Day after witnesses heard Phelps cry “ouch” and then collapse. The affidavit states that Phelps was pronounced dead about 20 minutes after the call.
Authorities say Adams purchased a .45‑caliber handgun as a Christmas present and was shooting at a can in his yard, located about half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from where Phelps was shot. When questioned, Adams became visibly upset and began to cry, according to Stephens County Sheriff’s Capt. Timothy Vann.
The sheriff’s office reports that Adams was charged with first‑degree manslaughter, booked into jail, and later released on a $100,000 bond. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family and is slated to appear in court on Feb. 25. Oklahoma law defines first‑degree manslaughter as a homicide that occurs without a design to effect death while the offender is engaged in the commission of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to life in prison. The charge alleges that Adams acted with a “conscious disregard for the safety of others,” a misdemeanor under state law.