Jason “Jay” Lee Paoletti, a 46-year-old man from Bear, Delaware, was fatally shot on August 4, 2026, during a confrontation at the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike in Newark. Paoletti, an avid motorcyclist and local auto repair shop owner, had reportedly been returning to his business after lunch when the encounter unfolded. At approximately 1:30 p.m., he was riding his motorcycle behind a Hyundai Elantra as the vehicles approached a red light.
Investigators said Paoletti moved his motorcycle in front of the Hyundai, after which the Hyundai pulled alongside him on his left. A verbal confrontation then developed between Paoletti and people inside the car.
According to Delaware State Police, Paoletti got off his motorcycle during the confrontation and began reaching into one of the motorcycle’s saddlebags. Police allege that the Hyundai’s front-seat passenger, later identified as William Simpler Jr., then fired at Paoletti. The Hyundai left the scene following the shooting. Witnesses nearby initially believed Paoletti might have been suffering a medical emergency, but they soon discovered that he had been shot. One account reported that Paoletti told people who came to his aid that he had been shot in the back, while witnesses described finding that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Delaware State Police troopers responding to the shooting found Paoletti lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. Emergency personnel transported him to a local hospital, where he later died. Because the shooting resulted in his death, the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit took over the investigation. Authorities characterized the encounter as a road-rage incident, although publicly released information did not establish what initially caused the dispute between Paoletti and the occupants of the Hyundai.
Detectives subsequently identified 28-year-old William Simpler Jr. of Saint Georges, Delaware, as the suspected shooter and identified the Hyundai involved in the incident. Investigators went to Simpler’s residence, where he was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to Delaware State Police Troop 2 and charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Following his arraignment in Justice of the Peace Court, Simpler was committed to the Delaware Department of Correction in lieu of $1.5 million cash bond. Authorities emphasized that the charges remained allegations and that Simpler was presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The killing prompted an outpouring of support for Paoletti’s family and friends. Hundreds of people attended a vigil in Newark, with motorcycles and other vehicles forming part of the tribute to someone remembered for his enthusiasm for cars, racing and riding. His family disputed the suggestion that he was habitually aggressive on the road. His sister, Dawn Paoletti, described him as nonviolent and loving and said he had been her best friend and a role model while they were growing up. Paoletti worked as an auto mechanic and repair-shop owner and was remembered in his obituary as someone whose life revolved around family, cars, motorcycles and the friendships he developed through the riding community.
As of the latest publicly available reporting located for the case, Simpler was the only person identified as having been arrested or charged in connection with Paoletti’s killing. No trial, conviction or sentencing had yet been reported. The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting after Simpler’s arrest, including the events that led to the confrontation and the involvement of the Hyundai and its occupants.
