NEWARK, DE — A New Castle man has been charged in connection with a 2024 death at the Christiana Hospital campus following a lengthy investigation, police said.
According to Delaware State Police, troopers responded on November 23, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m. to a retention pond area at 4755 Ogletown Stanton Road, where a 42-year-old female was found unresponsive.
Police reported that life-saving measures were performed and the victim was transported to a hospital, where she later died.
Due to what investigators described as suspicious circumstances, the case was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Unit with assistance from the Homicide Unit.
According to investigators, Shawn Wootson, 24, was identified as a person of interest during the investigation. Police said evidence allegedly indicated the victim had been strangled and that an attempted sexual assault had occurred.
Authorities reported Wootson allegedly fled the state following the incident and was not located until recently.
According to police, detectives presented findings to a New Castle County Grand Jury on March 16, 2026, which returned an indictment charging Wootson in connection with the death.
Police said Wootson was taken into custody on March 17 with assistance from the Special Operations Response Team and transported to Troop 2.
According to investigators, during a break in questioning, Wootson allegedly attempted to escape by accessing the ceiling of an interview room. Police reported he was quickly apprehended following the deployment of a Taser, and additional charges related to the alleged escape attempt are pending.
Authorities said Wootson has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree rape.
According to police, he was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $2,060,000 cash bond.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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