Terrance Fields was simply out for a drive with his buddies when a stranger's quest for vengeance turned his life into a fatal case of mistaken identity, prosecutors said.
Franklin Radell Smoak Jr., 27, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in the shooting death of 32-year-old Fields on July 31, 2023, in Hampton County, South Carolina. Smoak also received concurrent 30-year sentences for two counts of attempted murder related to shots fired at passengers in Fields' car.
Background
The violent encounter unfolded along State Highway 68 when Smoak spotted a white sedan and believed the driver was responsible for killing his cousin, 18-year-old Kaleb Cave, approximately three months earlier. According to prosecutors, Smoak thought the suspect drove a similar vehicle. Without confirming his target, Smoak turned off his headlights and crept up beside the car before opening fire.
At least 14 bullets struck the vehicle. Fields, who was driving, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and died at the scene. His front-seat passenger sustained life-threatening injuries when a bullet struck his head. A man seated in the back seat witnessed the entire attack but was not hit.
Fields had no connection to Cave's death. He and his companions were merely traveling to a Love's travel stop for an evening outing, prosecutors said.
The Investigation
The 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office prosecuted the case. Reed Evans, who handled the prosecution, described the outcome as reflecting the extreme danger of Smoak's actions.
"This was a tragic case of mistaken identity, and it cost Terrance Fields his life," Evans said in a statement. "The attack on Highway 68 unleashed a rain of bullets on Fields' car, killing him and gravely wounding another passenger."
Smoak pleaded guilty to the charges, avoiding a trial. Cave's homicide remained unsolved as of July 2025, according to the solicitor's office.
Key Takeaways
- Terrance Fields, 32, was killed while simply driving with friends on what should have been an uneventful evening
- Smoak mistook Fields' vehicle for one driven by his cousin's actual killer and opened fire without confirmation
- At least 14 gunshots struck the car during the ambush-style attack on Highway 68
- Cave's death that prompted the revenge attack remains unsolved, leaving questions about true justice
What's Next
Smoak will serve his 30-year sentence in a South Carolina correctional facility. The status of the investigation into Kaleb Cave's homicide was not disclosed by prosecutors.
Fields' family continues to grapple with the loss of a loved one who became an innocent victim of another family's tragedy.