Marcos Plasencia, a 31-year-old Black/African American male, was killed on the night of December 31, 2023, after what first looked like a traffic accident in Elsmere, Delaware, turned into a homicide investigation. Around 10:57 p.m., Elsmere police were called to the area of the 400 block of New Road for a report of a single-vehicle crash. When officers arrived, they found Plasencia inside the vehicle, but the scene quickly shifted away from a routine crash response when police discovered he
had been shot.
Plasencia was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and early information indicated that he was likely shot while inside his vehicle somewhere in the immediate area where he was found. The case unfolded on New Year's Eve, a time when many people nearby would have been out, traveling, or gathering, and police treated the location and timing as important parts of the investigation.
Authorities publicly identified Plasencia as being from Wilmington, though his death occurred in Elsmere. After confirming the case as a homicide, Elsmere police asked the public for help, seeking anyone who may have seen or heard something near New Road that night. Detective Scot Sowden was listed as the investigator for tips, and police also directed people to Delaware Crime Stoppers for anonymous information.
Available public reports do not identify a suspect or suspects in Plasencia's killing. They also do not show that any arrests were announced in connection with the homicide. As of the latest available information from public online sources, the case appeared to remain under investigation, with police still relying on community tips to determine who shot Plasencia, why he was targeted, and what happened in the moments before his vehicle came to rest on New Road.
