Evan Cablayan, a 43-year-old man from Magnolia, Delaware, died on April 29, 2024, in what Delaware State Police described as a suspected murder-suicide. The violence unfolded that evening in the Barrett Farm area of Magnolia, after troopers were called to the 100 block of Cilento Drive at about 6:18 p.m. for reports of gunfire. When they arrived, they found 38-year-old Vicky Williams outside in the front yard suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Troopers tried to save her, but she died from her injuries.
The scene then moved inside the home. Delaware State Police said the Special Operations Response Team entered the residence and found Cablayan dead from gunshot wounds. Also inside was the suspected shooter, identified as Charles Williams III, a 49-year-old Magnolia resident, who was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Three children were also located inside the residence, but authorities said they were physically unharmed.
Investigators said preliminary information indicated that Charles Williams III had contacted a family member during the incident and confessed that he had shot his wife and her new boyfriend. He also reportedly said he intended to kill himself. Public reports identified Vicky Williams as his wife, while Cablayan was described as her new boyfriend. The case was treated as a domestic-related shooting that ended with the suspected gunman's suicide before police could take him into custody.
No arrests were made because the only publicly identified suspect, Charles Williams III, died at the scene. There were no reported criminal charges, trial, or conviction connected to Cablayan's killing for that reason. Delaware State Police said the Homicide Unit continued investigating the incident and asked anyone with information to contact investigators, but no additional suspects were publicly named in available reports.
