US News
Maryland hunter charged in Delaware after fatally shooting woman mistaken for deer
Police allege a man fired from a blind into a field, killing a woman walking with children.
The short version
- Walter Moorhead, 74, of Maryland was arrested and charged with manslaughter after allegedly shooting and killing 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto in Ellendale, Delaware.[NBC News]
- Delaware State Police said Moorhead fired a rifle from a ground blind after mistaking Soto for a deer as she walked through a field with a man and two children.[NBC News]
- First responders provided care to Soto before transporting her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.[NBC News]
- Moorhead secured release on a $43,000 cash bond, while it remains unconfirmed whether he has retained legal representation.[NBC News]
Key facts
- Walter Moorhead, 74, was charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.[The Guardian · NBC News]
- State police reported that Moorhead fired his rifle from a camouflaged ground blind believing he saw a deer.[NBC News]
- The victim, Santos Maria Chilel Soto, was walking in a field with an adult male and two children when struck by gunfire.[NBC News]
- Soto was given medical care by state troopers before dying at an area hospital.[The Guardian · NBC News]
- Moorhead was released from custody after posting a $43,000 cash bond.[The Guardian · NBC News]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown whether Moorhead has retained legal defense counsel, and he has not responded to requests for comment.[NBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Hunter charged with fatally shooting a woman he thought was a deer, police sayNBC News - Top Stories
- US hunter charged after fatally shooting woman he mistook for a deer, police sayThe Guardian - World