Murder of Carmen Rodriguez

At 10 pm on July 8, 2000, 28-year-old Carmen Rodriguez was seen walking through near the park at North Pine and 30th streets in Wilmington, Delaware. The last time she was seen was at 3:30 am at 29th and Tatnall streets blocks. The next morning someone walking in a secluded part of the park would find Carmen's partially dressed body in some bushes. 

She was likely pushed down face-first into the ground. She had evidence of being beaten and then strangled to death. 

SOURCES:

Wilmington Delaware 

Uncovered

The News Journal July 10, 2000

The News Journal July 11, 2000

Murder of Janaija Johnson

Around 4:50 am on April 7, 2020, 16-year-old Janaija Johnson was shot in her car near 6th St and Van Buren St in the Quaker Hill neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware. She was found alive, but would soon pass at the hospital.

SOURCES:

Wilmington Delaware

Uncovered

Delaware Online April 7, 2020

CBS News April 7, 2020

March 9, 1924 Aston, Delaware John Doe

On March 9, 1924, a man's body was found on Concord and Bridgewater Rd in Aston, Delaware. He was frozen to death due to exposure.

John Doe was a black male around 55 years old.

SOURCES:
Find a Grave

Murder of Tajuane Helton

On March 8, 2017, 39-year-old Tajuane Helton had parked his car at the 900 block of Marshall St. in Wilmington, Delaware. As soon as he got out of the 2016 blue Jeep with Pennsylvania plates he was shot. When first responders arrived he was still alive, but would soon pass. 

SOURCES:

Wilmington, Delaware

Uncovered

Delaware Online Jan 4, 2018

Fox 29 March 1, 2021

Murder of Anderson Brown

Around 8:50 pm on November 11, 2011, 31-year-old Anderson Brown was shot on the 200 block of North Madison Street in Wilmington, Delaware. He would die from his injuries.

SOURCES:

Wilmington Delaware

Uncovered

Murder of Richard Benitez

On October 29, 2002, 25-year-old Richard Benitez was shot off of Lancaster Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware. There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

City of Wilmington, Delaware

Uncovered

GHOSTS: Maggie's Bridge

             Facebook / Haunted Eastern Shore

In the late 1800s, Maggie Bloxom was going down Woodland Church Rd around a mile south of Woodland Ferry landing in Delaware. She was traveling by horse and buggy. Some say that she was pregnant at the time and was planning to marry her lover. She was leaving because she did not want to be judged by her parents let alone people she knew as she was not married yet.

When the carriage was crossing the bridge that went over a small branch on the Nanticoke River the horse was spooked. This would cause the horse to rear up and bring tragedy. Maggie and her carriage would go over the side of the bridge into the water. The accident was so bad she was decapitated.

It is said that if you go to the bridge and follow a ritual you can meet the spirit of Maggie. Most say that between midnight and 1 am, you should start the ritual. You will call out "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie" and you might hear a horse coming towards you. You will call again "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie" and you might see a woman-shaped shadow. A third and last time you will call "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie" and Maggie will come out of the woods holding her head asking to be put together again and be alive.

Sometimes people chant "Maggie Maggie we have your baby!" instead of "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie"

Some say that Maggie can be seen best on the night of the blue moon. A breeze will come and little flashes of firefly-like lights can be seen. These lights are known as ghost pits. The lights come closer and closer with each flash.

Sometimes it stated that Maggie can also mess with cars on the bridge. It's stated that cars have been known to stall on it.

Did Maggie actually exist? Maybe. There is a grave nearby with her name on it. I couldn't find anything about her death in newspapers, and could not find any information on her.

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

Chesapeake Ghosts

Only In Your State

Murder of Frank Bonasso

On July 15, 2009, 75-year-old Frank Bonasso was walking in the Christiana Meadows Complex at 265 Bear Christiana Road in Bear, Delaware. He would be beaten and robbed. He was able to make it to the guard shack and ask for help. He would be taken to the Christiana Hospital where he would die.

SOURCES:

New Castle County Police

Murder of Douglas Houser

Photo of Douglas Houser and sketch of the suspect

On May 15, 2010, 37-year-old Douglas Houser was at his home on 900 block of Rue Madora Drive in Bear, Delaware. He would hear a knock at his door at 11 p.m. and three people would ask for an unknown person. Douglas had no knowledge of this person being at his residence. The suspects would then force their way into the home and shot and killed him. The suspects would then flee the scene.

A witness described a suspect as a light-toned or biracial black male. He was around  6'2" and 300 lbs He was sporting afro style haircut that was pulled back into a ponytail. She rated the drawing at a number eight based on likeness. 

SOURCES:

New Castle County Police Department

ABC May 16, 2010

Murder of Manuel Ramirez

At about 7:09 p.m. on April 22, 2014, 41-year-old was shot and killed at 3115 New Castle Ave in New Castle Delaware.

SOURCES:

New Castle County Police

Murder of Howard Smallwood

At approximately 7:48 p.m. on April 15, 2013, police would arrive at the apartment of 63-year-old Howard Smallwood on 9 Golden Acres Drive in Claymont, Delaware. He was found unconscious and suffering from gunshot wounds. He would soon pass away at the scene. 

SOURCES;

New Castle County Police Department

WDEL April 16, 2013

Murders of Jessica Watson and Mathew Macerato

On the night of December 26, 2004, 22-year-old Jessica Watson and 18-year-old Mathew Macerato were working the closing shift at the Casual Male Big and Tall at 3924 Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington, Delaware. As the two were closing up someone with a gun appeared and forced the two into the basement. The person would then shoot the two to death by shooting them in the back of the head. They would then take the money in the store. It's unknown what exactly happened in the store as there were no security cameras. 

The families of the victims don't believe that robbery was the sole reason for the murders. They believe it wasn't a random act as instead of bringing the two to the register and killing them there the killer brought them to the basement. Also, nothing in the store seemed to have been ransacked. It seemed that the stolen money was a way to cover up the reason for the executions.

SOURCES:

Delaware State Polic

Delaware State Police (PDF)

Delaware Online December 23, 2014

Delaware Online January 3, 2022

Disappearance of Gerald William Carroll Sr.

On October 22, 2001, 44-year-old Gerald Carroll Sr. went to cash his check at the Penn Mart Shopping Center in New Castle, Delaware. He would then last be seen riding on his bicycle. His son stated that it could be possible that Gerald, who loved fishing, may have gone that day and possibly accidentally drowned. His green mountain bike was his sole means of transportation.

Gearld is a white male and was 44-years-old at the time. He's 5'8" and 145-165lbs. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is missing his front teeth. He was wearing jeans at the time. His nicknmes are Fordy and Jarr

SOURCES:

NamUs

National Missing Person Directory

Charley Project

Tapatalk

September 28, 1942 Wilmington, Delaware John Doe

On September 28, 1942, the skeleton of a man was found  Along the south bank of the Christiana River at Commerce in Wilmington, Deleware.  He had been dead for several months. 

John Doe was found with a belt around his waist, buckle with initial C. 

SOURCES:

Find a Grave

The Morning News September 29, 1942

Murder of Elva J. Poore

On June 14, 1992, 17-year-old Elva Poore left a note on the kitchen table at her Delaware home stating she was riding to Ocean City with a girlfriend. She promised to call them later that week. Her parents had previously forbidden her from doing so and Elva did so anyway. But instead of going with a girlfriend like she wrote, she had left with some boys from Chesapeake City.

On June 15 a friend of Elva saw her on the boardwalk. She would be seen again by the friend the next morning at The Admiral, a low-budget motel, in the older part of Ocean City. She may have stayed in a separate room from the boys though she didn't have money to pay for it. On at least one of the nights she was gone she stayed in a baseball dugout with one of the boys. 

The last time Elva was seen alive was at 3 a.m. on the boardwalk. She was seen arguing with one of the boys. It was also stated she was last seen walking towards Ocean Lodge Motel. Elva would be found dead the next day on Marl Pit Rd off of U.S. 13 Northbound in Odessa.

Elva had cocaine in her system when she had died. She had been hit in the head and it's believed that the person who killed her strangled her to death with their forearm. It's believed more than one person was involved in her death as her body would not have ended up where it was without. 

Elva was said to be hanging out with men in their early 20's. These men were recreational drug users.  There are suspects in this case though no arrests were made.

SOURCES:

Delaware 

Newark Post

Murder of Dyshon Wallace

On Feb. 14, 2015, 18-year-old Dyshon Wallace went to a party advertised on Instagram. The party was at 602 Marilyn Court Townsend, Delaware and 30 to 60 people were attending. Around 12:30 a.m. he was found dead. He died from a gunshot wound.

SOURCES:
Delaware State Police 
Delaware Online 
6 ABC

Murder of Jonathan A. Grioli

On November 3, 2012, the body of  25-year-old Jonathan Grioli was found on Autumn Mood Road in Magnolia, Delaware. He had died from blunt force trauma, it's unknown if it was from an attack or from being hit by a car.

SOURCES:
Delaware State Police 
Dover Post
WBOC