A tragic incident occurred in Delaware as a hunter mistook a woman for a deer, fatally shooting her. The incident happened in Ellendale, resulting in the death of Santos Maria Chilel Soto, aged 39. Walter Moorhead, 74, from Salisbury, Maryland, faces multiple charges, including manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
According to Delaware State Police, Moorhead was hunting and crouching in an open field when Soto, along with a man and two children, passed by. Mistaking Soto for a deer, Moorhead fired his rifle, hitting her. Officers arrived at the scene around 7:40 p.m. They provided life-saving medical care to Soto, but she was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Moorhead faces charges of manslaughter, possession of a firearm during a felony, and three counts of reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Moorhead was arrested at the scene and released on a $43,000 bond. As the investigation continues, state police urge anyone with information to contact them or submit tips through Delaware Crime Stoppers.
Soto lived in Georgetown, Delaware, and was mourned by her local evangelical church. The church expressed deep sorrow over Soto’s passing and organized services in her honor, which were shared on social media. They await further funeral arrangements.
Soto’s family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses and transport her body to Guatemala, her birthplace. By Monday morning, they had collected $4,500 towards their $6,500 goal.
This incident recalls another tragedy from about a year ago, when a teenager in rural Iowa was accidentally shot by a fellow hunter who believed he was aiming at a squirrel.
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