Hunter Fatally Shot Woman Walking With Children, Mistaking Her for Deer in Field: Police

A man is facing several charges in the death of a 39-year-old woman, who he fatally shot while mistaking her for a deer in a Delaware field, according to police.

Walter Moorhead, of Salisbury, Maryland, was charged with manslaughter and other offenses after he took aim at the woman in Ellendale the evening of Friday, September 18, Delaware State Police said in an initial news release.

The woman was identified as Santos Maria Chilel Soto, of Georgetown, in an update shared by police on Sunday, September 20.

Soto had been walking through the open field with her boyfriend and two children, who were 7 and 10 years old, when she was shot, according to a probable cause affidavit viewed by WBOC.

The boyfriend said Soto fell down after what sounded like an “explosion,” the affidavit states.

He noticed she was bleeding from her upper torso and appeared unresponsive, leading him to put pressure on her injury and dial 911, per the affidavit obtained by the TV station.

Then the boyfriend said an older man with a flashlight appeared while seemingly searching for a deer he thought he hunted, according to police.

Moorhead had been hunting deer “from a ground blind” when shot Soto, according to the initial news release from state police.

“Moorhead believed he saw a deer and fired his rifle,” police said, based on a preliminary investigation.

Soto received medical treatment at the scene before she was taken to a hospital, where she was declared dead, according to authorities.

Moorhead killed Soto with a rifle that had a scope, per the affidavit obtained by WBOC.

Soto was a mother of five children, according to a GoFundMe created by her family in support of funeral expenses and costs to send her body to Guatemala, which was described as her home country.

“Maria’s family is now facing the overwhelming pain of this sudden loss while also trying to make sure she is laid to rest with dignity,” the GoFundMe page reads.

In addition to manslaughter involving recklessly causing the death of another person, Moorhead was also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of first-degree reckless endangering, according to police.

Information on his legal representation wasn’t immediately available.

Following an arraignment, Moorhead posted a $43,000 cash bond and was released, police said.

Delaware State Police are still investigating the shooting.

“Detectives ask anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact Detective M. Csapo by calling (302) 741-2729,” the agency said. “Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.”