Maryland Hunter Arrested After Mistaking Woman for Deer

A hunter from Maryland is facing serious charges after he allegedly shot a woman, thinking she was a deer, while she was in a Delaware field with her children, as reported by state police.

Walter Moorhead, who is 74 years old, has been charged with manslaughter and several other offenses after the shooting of 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto on Friday evening in Ellendale, Delaware, according to a press release from the State Police.

At around 7:40 p.m., Soto was walking through an open area alongside a man and two children, while Moorhead, positioned in a ground blind—a camouflaged structure used by hunters—was attempting to hunt deer.

Police indicate that Moorhead believed he spotted a deer and fired his rifle, unintentionally hitting Soto.

Responding officers provided immediate medical attention to Soto before she was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.

Moorhead has been charged with multiple felonies, including manslaughter for recklessly causing another person’s death, possession of a firearm during a felony, and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

He was subsequently released after posting a $43,000 cash bond. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Soto, described as a mother of five and a much-loved aunt, was commemorated on a GoFundMe page highlighting her family’s grief over this unexpected tragedy.

The fundraiser mentions, “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.” It outlines the significant financial burden placed on the family at such a challenging time.

As of Monday evening, the fundraising effort has raised around $12,000 to assist with funeral expenses and the costs associated with sending her body to Guatemala.