'Waited for her to enter his field of fire': Man shot woman dead in Sheetz parking lot, lied to cops that he was just cleaning his gun when it went off, authorities say

Background: The Sheetz on the 5600 block of MacCorkle Ave. in Charleston, West Virginia (WOWK/YouTube). Inset: Jacob Fields (West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation).

A man is accused of fatally shooting a woman walking by his vehicle at a West Virginia gas station and then lying by saying the gun just accidentally fired.

Jacob Fields, 19, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 42-year-old Tiffany Adkins, West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation records show. He appeared in court this week for the incident that occurred back in May of last year.

On May 27, 2025, Fields was in a car next to one of the gas pumps at the Sheetz convenience store on the 5600 block of MacCorkle Ave. in Charleston. According to a criminal complaint obtained by area CBS affiliate WOWK, Adkins was walking by Fields' vehicle to the front of the store, and as she did, a bullet hit her in the back of the head.

She fell to the ground, and officers with the Charleston Police Department responded, with Fields allegedly telling them that he was "wiping down" the barrel of his gun when it fired. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, per the local TV station.

However, investigators are said to have realized that statement was a lie. Surveillance footage showed that Fields "looked toward her, waited for her to enter his field of fire and raised his Glock Model 20 Gen 5 10mm pistol with both hands, pointing it directly at Ms. Adkins" before firing, according to the complaint.

Fields' windshield reportedly shattered from the impact of the bullet, and he was standing in the parking lot when officers got to the scene. It is unclear whether he had any relationship with the victim.

Adkins was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The suspect's involuntary manslaughter charge was later upgraded to first-degree murder, and he was also charged with the use or presentment of a firearm during the commission of a felony, WOWK reported. He has pleaded not guilty.

During Fields' court appearance on Tuesday, a judge granted a motion for one of his attorneys to step down, with another attorney taking their place. The defendant is expected back in court next month, with a possible trial to take place on April 15.