An arraignment was held in Cumberland County Criminal Court Friday for a Blesdoe County man charged with double murder. Forty-six year old John Patrick Fields of Pikeville additionally faces charges of aggravated assault and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. The deadly encounter took place in March of this year where Fields allegedly killed Makayla Laray Manning and 47-year-old Lowell “Chip” Thomas Simmons, II and caused serious injuries to two others.

The TBI says the first incident happened at a home in the 80 block of Critter Creek Road. Cumberland County deputies were called to the home and found the body of Simmons in a trash pile in a vacant lot.

The second incident happened at a home in the 2500 block of Vandever Road. Three people were shot. Makayla Manning died at the scene and the other two, Joseph Manning and Eleashea Alene Curry, were taken to U.T. Medical Center.

Fields apparently has a record in the criminal court system.

According to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrest records, 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.

According to the TBI, he was released from prison at Brushy Mountain in 2004.

Fields was charged with domestic assault on March 1, 2019 and was released on his own recognizances.

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

In court last Friday, Judge Wesley Bray set a return date of January 14, 2020 in the case.