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Hunter Kills Woman: "No Excuse" Says Partner
25 Sep
Summary
- Hunter arrested for manslaughter after shooting woman mistakenly for a deer.
- Victim's partner states the killing was senseless with no acceptable excuses.
- Rifle hunting was out of season, though property had a special permit.
A 74-year-old hunter, Walter Moorhead, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of Santos Maria Chilel Soto. Soto's partner vehemently condemned the act, calling it a "senseless" and "cold-blooded murder" with "no excuse." Authorities reported that Moorhead, while hunting near Ellendale on September 19, 2026, fired his rifle, believing he had spotted a deer, but instead struck Soto.
Investigations revealed that while general rifle hunting for deer was out of season on September 19, 2026, the property where the shooting occurred held a permit for antlerless deer harvests outside the regular season. Moorhead, a resident of Salisbury, Maryland, was also charged with possession of a firearm during a felony and reckless endangering.
Santos Maria Chilel Soto, originally from Guatemala, was a mother of five. Her sister suggested that "racism" might have played a role in the incident and emphasized the need for hunters to positively identify their targets. Moorhead, who posted a $43,000 bond, waived a preliminary court hearing on September 26, 2026, as supporters of Soto gathered outside the courthouse.
