# Hunter Mistakes Woman for Deer, Kills Her

> Delaware hunter Walter Moorhead shot and killed woman he thought was deer.
- Title: Hunter Mistakes Woman for Deer, Kills Her · Valleynewslive
- Summary: Delaware hunter Walter Moorhead shot and killed woman he thought was deer. 74-year-old Walter Moorhead fatally shot 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto…
- Keywords: walter moorhead, santos maria chilel soto, delaware state police, ellendale, manhunt, news, local, Hunter, Mistakes, Woman, Deer, Kills
- Source: Valleynewslive — https://valleynewslive.com/2026/09/21/hunter-shoots-kills-woman-after-mistaking-her-deer-troopers-say
- Published: 2026-09-21T06:00:20.459+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: walter moorhead, santos maria chilel soto, delaware state police, ellendale, manhunt, news, local
## Who was shot
74-year-old hunter Walter Moorhead shot 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto.

> a woman who had been shot
## When and where
Troopers responded at 7:40 p.m. to an open field in Ellendale.

> about 7:40 p.m. friday
## What happened
Moorhead believed he saw a deer and fired his rifle.

> he believed he saw a deer
## Why it happened
Moorhead was hunting from a ground blind with a man and two children nearby.

> a man and two children
## What happened next
Moorhead faces felony manslaughter charges and a $43,000 bond.

> a $43,000 cash bond
## Key takeaway

74-year-old Walter Moorhead fatally shot 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto after mistaking her for a deer while hunting in Delaware.