On the evening of September 18, 2026, a tragic incident unfolded in a field in Ellendale, Delaware, leading to the death of 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto, a Guatemalan mother of five from Georgetown. Ms. Soto was taking a walk with her partner, Minibaldo Velásquez, and two children through an open field near South Old State Road when she was struck by a bullet from a hunting rifle. The shot was fired at approximately 7:40 p.m.
Despite receiving immediate medical attention from responding troopers and being transported to a local hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.
The individual who fired the fatal shot was identified as 74-year-old Walter Moorhead of Salisbury, Maryland. Moorhead had been hunting for deer from a ground blind, a camouflaged shelter, and told investigators he believed he saw a deer before firing his rifle. After firing, he walked toward the area and discovered Ms. Soto with a gunshot wound, surrounded by her family. Velásquez recounted hearing an "explosion" and seeing his partner fall to the ground.
Walter Moorhead was arrested at the scene and has been charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. He was later released from custody after posting a $43,000 cash bond. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing by the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit. While some community members have raised questions about the circumstances, suggesting the area is a popular walking spot for the local Hispanic community, the official investigation is still in its early stages. As of late September 2026, there have been no reports of a conviction or sentencing in this case. The case against Walter Moorhead is pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
