A Cumberland County double murder case was continued in criminal court today until April 23, 2021.

According to court officials, the reason was the attorney for 46-year-old John Patrick Fields is in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Court documents state Fields, of Pikeville, faces charges of aggravated assault and two counts each of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree murder. The deadly encounter took place in March of 2019 where Fields allegedly killed Makayla Laray Manning and 47-year-old Lowell “Chip” Thomas Simmons, II and caused serious injuries to two others.

Fields has a record in the criminal court system.

According to the TBI, Fields was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in Bledsoe County in 1998 and was sentenced to 10 years at Brushy Mountain Prison.

He received six years for voluntary manslaughter and four for aggravated assault to be served back-to-back.

Fields was convicted at trial in 1998 for the 1997 death of Ricky Lloyd and aggravated assault of Ronnie May. Fields and Lloyd were driving in a car together when an argument led to a shooting.

Fields was released from prison at Brushy Mountain in 2004.

The records also showed Fields faced previous charges for vandalism, theft of property, assault, public intoxication and DUI .