ELLENDALE, DE — A 74-year-old Maryland hunter has been charged in Delaware after state police say he fatally shot a woman he thought was a deer during an evening hunt near Ellendale. Investigators say Walter Moorhead of Salisbury fired his rifle from a ground blind on Friday and struck 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto, who was walking through a field with a man and two children.
Troopers responded around 7:40 p.m. and gave the victim emergency medical aid at the scene. Police said she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police say the shot was fired from a ground blind in a field near Ellendale
The Delaware State Police said the shooting happened during deer season hunting in a field near Ellendale. According to investigators, Moorhead was hunting from a ground blind when he believed he saw a deer and fired his rifle.
Police said the bullet struck the woman as she was crossing the field with a man and two children. The circumstances of that encounter remain part of the homicide investigation, and troopers have not said whether the people on foot were known to the hunter.
The state police said their preliminary investigation determined Moorhead fired the shot that hit the victim. He was taken into custody after that finding.
Victim identified as 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto of Georgetown
State police identified the woman on Sunday as Santos Maria Chilel Soto of Georgetown, Delaware. She was 39.
Authorities have not released additional information about her family or about the man and children who were with her at the time of the shooting. Police have also not described any prior connection between the victim and Moorhead.
The case has drawn attention because investigators say the fatal shot came after the hunter mistook a person for game. Officials have not said whether weather, lighting or the layout of the field played any role in the shooting.
Moorhead faces manslaughter and reckless endangerment counts
Moorhead was charged with felony manslaughter, three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to state police. The charges reflect the state’s view of both the fatal shooting and the risk posed to others nearby.
He was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court and later released after posting a $43,000 cash bond. Police said he was not being held after the hearing.
ABC News said Moorhead did not immediately respond to a call to a phone number listed for him. It was not clear whether he has a lawyer.
Troopers say the investigation is still active and tips are requested
The Delaware State Police said the homicide investigation remains open. Detectives continue to review the events leading up to the shot, the people present in the field, and the exact sequence of what happened after troopers reached the scene.
Officials are asking anyone with information to contact the state police homicide unit. That request suggests investigators still want witnesses or other evidence that could help clarify the circumstances of the shooting.
For now, police have released only the basic details: a hunter, a field near Ellendale, a fatal mistake, and criminal charges that were filed within days of the incident.
Hunting safety concerns underscore the Delaware case
The case highlights how quickly a hunting mistake can turn deadly when other people are nearby. State police say Moorhead was positioned in a blind and fired after believing he saw a deer, but the shot hit a woman walking through the field instead.
Investigators have not said whether any hunting safety violations beyond the criminal charges are being examined. They also have not announced a court date beyond the arraignment or provided a timeline for the next stage of the case.
Until the investigation is complete, police say the facts will continue to be reviewed by detectives and prosecutors. The charges now place the episode before the court system as Delaware authorities examine how the shooting unfolded.
Delaware hunter charged with manslaughter after police say he mistook woman for deer and fatally shot her near Ellendale field Friday evening
A 74-year-old Maryland hunter has been charged in Delaware after state police say he fatally shot a woman he thought was a deer during an evening hunt near Ellendale. Investigators say Walter Moorhead of Salisbury fired his rifle from a ground blind on Friday and struck 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto, who was walking through a field with a man and two children.
Troopers responded around 7:40 p.m. and gave the victim emergency medical aid at the scene. Police said she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police say the shot was fired from a ground blind in a field near Ellendale
The Delaware State Police said the shooting happened during deer season hunting in a field near Ellendale. According to investigators, Moorhead was hunting from a ground blind when he believed he saw a deer and fired his rifle.
Police said the bullet struck the woman as she was crossing the field with a man and two children. The circumstances of that encounter remain part of the homicide investigation, and troopers have not said whether the people on foot were known to the hunter.
The state police said their preliminary investigation determined Moorhead fired the shot that hit the victim. He was taken into custody after that finding.
Victim identified as 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto of Georgetown
State police identified the woman on Sunday as Santos Maria Chilel Soto of Georgetown, Delaware. She was 39.
Authorities have not released additional information about her family or about the man and children who were with her at the time of the shooting. Police have also not described any prior connection between the victim and Moorhead.
The case has drawn attention because investigators say the fatal shot came after the hunter mistook a person for game. Officials have not said whether weather, lighting or the layout of the field played any role in the shooting.
Moorhead faces manslaughter and reckless endangerment counts
Moorhead was charged with felony manslaughter, three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to state police. The charges reflect the state’s view of both the fatal shooting and the risk posed to others nearby.
He was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court and later released after posting a $43,000 cash bond. Police said he was not being held after the hearing.
ABC News said Moorhead did not immediately respond to a call to a phone number listed for him. It was not clear whether he has a lawyer.
Troopers say the investigation is still active and tips are requested
The Delaware State Police said the homicide investigation remains open. Detectives continue to review the events leading up to the shot, the people present in the field, and the exact sequence of what happened after troopers reached the scene.
Officials are asking anyone with information to contact the state police homicide unit. That request suggests investigators still want witnesses or other evidence that could help clarify the circumstances of the shooting.
For now, police have released only the basic details: a hunter, a field near Ellendale, a fatal mistake, and criminal charges that were filed within days of the incident.
When the weather turns dangerous, SVH Snow is watching.
