A 74-year-old Maryland hunter has been charged with manslaughter after allegedly fatally shooting a woman he mistook for a deer in Delaware last week, state police confirmed on Sunday.
Walter Moorhead of Salisbury, Maryland, was arrested at the scene in Ellendale on Friday evening and later released on a $43,000 bond. He faces multiple charges, including manslaughter and reckless endangerment, following the death of Santos Maria Chilel Soto, 39, who was struck by a rifle shot while walking in an open field with a man and two children.
Delaware State Police reported that Moorhead had been hunting from a ground blind when he fired his weapon, believing he had seen a deer. Troopers arrived at the scene around 7:40 p.m. and administered life-saving medical care before transporting Soto to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Moorhead charged with felony manslaughter, possession of a firearm during a felony, and three counts of reckless endangerment
In addition to the manslaughter charge, Moorhead has been charged with one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, according to Delaware State Police. He was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court and released after posting the required bond.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have requested that anyone with information contact Delaware State Police or submit tips through Delaware Crime Stoppers.
Victim identified as Santos Maria Chilel Soto, 39, of Georgetown
Soto, a mother of five, was identified by police as a resident of Georgetown, Delaware. An evangelical church in the area shared an obituary describing her as a "beloved sister in Christ" and announced funeral services. A GoFundMe campaign was also launched to assist her family with funeral expenses and repatriation to Guatemala, where she was originally from.
The Delaware State Police confirmed that the shooting occurred on Friday, September 18, 2026, and that Moorhead’s actions were under investigation by the agency’s homicide unit. The preliminary findings indicate that Moorhead was crouched in an open field when Soto and others passed by, leading to the fatal shot.
Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the investigation, including whether further charges or arrests are expected.