Paul C. Marino, an 86-year-old male, was one of two victims in a sudden double homicide at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware. He and his wife, 85-year-old Lidia Marino, were from Elkton, Maryland, and had gone to the cemetery on the morning of Friday, May 8, 2020. They were visiting the grounds when gunfire broke the stillness of the cemetery, turning what should have been a quiet visit into a violent scene that drew Delaware State Police and a large emergency response.
The shooting was reported at about 10:13 a.m. at the cemetery on Chesapeake City Road. When troopers arrived, they found both Paul and Lidia Marino suffering from gunshot wounds. Lidia was pronounced dead at the scene. Paul was still alive but critically injured, and he was rushed to an area hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on Saturday, May 9, 2020. The attack was investigated as a homicide by the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit.
Investigators identified the suspected gunman as Sheldon C. Francis, 29, of Middletown, Delaware. After the shooting, police said Francis was seen running into a wooded area between the cemetery and Brennan Boulevard, near the Brennan Estates development. Officers secured the area, and Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team members later moved in with an armored vehicle. As they approached, Francis allegedly fired numerous rounds at the BearCat vehicle, leading to an exchange of gunfire with troopers.
Francis was found dead in the wooded area after that confrontation. Delaware State Police later said he sustained a gunshot wound from police gunfire during the exchange, resulting in his death at the scene. No troopers were reported injured, and the involved officers were placed on administrative leave under standard divisional policy.
There were no arrests because the identified suspect died the same day as the cemetery attack. Authorities said Francis was responsible for the shooting deaths of Paul and Lidia Marino, but they did not announce a clear motive. Police also stated that investigators had found no evidence that Francis had any connection to the Marinos, leaving the attack described as a deeply disturbing and apparently unexplained act of violence against an elderly couple visiting a veterans cemetery.
