74-Year-Old Hunter Charged After Fatally Shooting Woman He Said He Mistook for a Deer

A 74-year-old Maryland hunter has been charged after police say he fatally shot a woman in a Delaware field while hunting after mistaking her for a deer. Walter Moorhead, of Salisbury, Maryland, faces a manslaughter charge, along with charges of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of first-degree reckless endangering, according to Delaware State Police.

The victim, identified by authorities as 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto of Georgetown, Delaware, was walking through an open field with a man and two children when the shooting occurred at about 7:40pm on Friday, 18 September. Moorhead was hunting deer from a ground blind when he believed he had spotted one and fired his rifle, according to police.

Fatal Shooting in Delaware

Troopers were called to an open field near South Old State Road, north of East Robbins Road, after receiving a report that a woman had been shot. Responding officers provided emergency medical treatment before Soto was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Police subsequently determined that Moorhead had fired the shot that struck her.

The Delaware State Police said their preliminary investigation found that Soto was walking through the field with a man and two children while Moorhead was positioned in a ground blind for deer hunting. Investigators said he believed he had seen a deer before discharging his rifle and striking Soto. The circumstances remain under investigation by the department's Homicide Unit.

Charges and Court Proceedings

Moorhead was taken into custody and later charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of first-degree reckless endangering. The charges were filed after investigators determined that he had fired the shot that struck Soto, according to state police.

He appeared before a Justice of the Peace Court and was released after posting a $43,000 (approximately £32,000) cash bond. The case has not been resolved, and the charges are allegations rather than findings of guilt. Delaware State Police said the investigation remains ongoing.

ABC News reported that Moorhead had not immediately responded to a request for comment and that it was unclear whether he had legal representation.

Investigation Continues

State police have asked anyone with information relevant to the shooting to contact Detective M. Csapo. Investigators said the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident in Ellendale.

The shooting has also drawn attention to the risks involved when firearms are discharged during hunting. In this case, authorities have publicly described the shooting as stemming from Moorhead's belief that he had identified a deer, while the criminal investigation and court proceedings will determine the circumstances relevant to the charges against him.

GoFundMe Set up by Victim's Family

Soto's death has left her family facing the practical costs of arranging her funeral and transporting her body to Guatemala. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help cover those expenses.

The fundraiser describes Soto as 'a beloved aunt whose life was tragically taken by a firearm' and says the money will help with funeral services and transporting her body to Guatemala.

The campaign's fundraising figures can change over time, so the amount raised should be checked against the live fundraiser immediately before publication.