James L. Rickards, 41, male, Black, was killed in the early morning hours of July 25, 2013, in his home on North Berry Bramble Falls near Millsboro, Delaware. He and his girlfriend were in their bedroom when two masked men entered and demanded money. The intruders wore dark clothing, baseball caps, and bandanas covering the lower parts of their faces. Moments later, Rickards was shot multiple times; the assailants fled, leaving his girlfriend physically unharmed.
First responders were called to the scene shortly after 1 a.m., and investigators quickly identified Rickards as the victim.
Detectives determined early on that the break-in did not appear to be a random act and that Rickards may have been specifically targeted. The description of the suspects remained limited—two males with faces covered, one reportedly armed with a handgun—and no vehicle description was publicly confirmed. Despite canvassing and appeals to the public, investigators did not announce the recovery of stolen property from the scene, and it was unclear whether anything of value had been taken during the confrontation.
No arrests were announced in the aftermath of the shooting, and the case remains unsolved. Years later, Rickards’s homicide continues to be listed by the Delaware State Police as an open investigation handled by the Cold Case Unit, with authorities periodically urging anyone with information to come forward. Community notices and memorial listings have preserved the date and place of his death, but the identities of the masked intruders—and their motive—have never been publicly confirmed.
