# Fatal hunting accident in Ellendale

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fatal-hunting-accident-in-ellendale
> Updated: 2026-09-22T16:31:52.000Z. Sources: 31. Developments: 2.

A 74-year-old hunter, Walter Moorhead, was charged with felony manslaughter and reckless endangerment following a fatal shooting in Ellendale, North Dakota. The incident occurred on September 18 when Moorhead, positioned in a concealed ground blind, mistook 39-year-old Santos Maria Chilel Soto for a deer and fired his rifle.

Soto, a resident of Georgetown and mother of five, was walking through an open field with her boyfriend and two children when she was struck. Although first responders attempted lifesaving efforts, she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

Moorhead faces additional charges, including possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. He was released after posting a $43,000 cash bond. Following the tragedy, the victim's family has launched a fundraising campaign to assist with the costs of repatriating her remains to Guatemala.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-22: North Dakota hunter charged with manslaughter after fatal shooting

A 74-year-old hunter in North Dakota faces manslaughter charges after fatally shooting a woman he mistook for a deer while she was walking with her family.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/north-dakota-hunter-arrested-in-fatal-shooting-mistake

### 2026-09-20: Maryland hunter charged with manslaughter after fatal Delaware shooting

A 74-year-old Maryland hunter faces manslaughter charges after fatally shooting a 39-year-old woman in Delaware he mistook for a deer while hunting in an open field.

22 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maryland-hunter-charged-with-manslaughter-in-fatal-delaware-shooting

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Cite as: Fatal hunting accident in Ellendale. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fatal-hunting-accident-in-ellendale