Inset: Cody Wayne Adams (Stephens County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Stephens County Courthouse in Duncan, Oklahoma (Google Maps).
A woman was sitting on the front porch of a home in rural Oklahoma when suddenly she was shot – apparently by a neighbor who was testing out his new gun, authorities say.
Cody Wayne Adams, 33, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter, the Stephens County Sheriff's Office announced on Christmas.
The defendant was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. on the evening of the holiday.
An "elderly" woman was sitting on a covered front porch with members of her family at a home on County Road 1800 in Stephens County on Thursday afternoon, deputies said in a press release.
The woman was holding a baby in her left arm and sitting on a love seat, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by ABC News.
Gunshots are believed to have rang out in the area, and the woman "commented that someone got a new gun for Christmas," according to the affidavit. Not long after, however, the woman "said 'ouch' and collapsed."
The woman had been shot – with the bullet entering her right upper arm and entering her chest, authorities said. Deputies and first responders arrived at the scene at about 3:15 p.m., and noticed the victim had a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead soon after.
There was no indication the child or anyone else was hurt.
Deputies "later received a call stating an individual had just received a gun for Christmas and was target practicing in his backyard and that they believed it would be pointing in the direction of the scene," according to the sheriff's office.
Investigators followed up on the lead — traveling to the reported address, and spoke with the man there.
The man – alleged to be Adams – "confirmed he was shooting a target in his backyard and that he had heard that someone has died from a gunshot wound a couple of roads over," the law enforcement agency said.
Investigators also reportedly learned that he had bought himself a Glock 45 for Christmas – and that his neighbors had heard him shooting "about 20 rounds" Thursday afternoon at a Red Bull can in his backyard.
A deputy was blunt with the suspect, according to ABC News, telling him he believed his shooting may have caused the woman's death.
Adams reportedly responded emotionally; he was "visibly upset and began to cry."
The deputy further said 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," according to the affidavit.
Adams appeared in court on Friday and was given a bond of $100,000. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 26, 2026.
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