A domestic argument in The Pines at Long Neck on March 19, 2026, ended with the fatal shooting of 72-year-old Patricia Sulecki at her home on White Pine Drive. Police say the dispute involved Patricia and her 40-year-old son, John Sulecki, and that the altercation escalated in a back room where John allegedly shot his mother. A third family member who was present fled and called 911 to report the shooting and say John had a gun and had shot Patricia.

Troopers arrived around 12:10 p.m., took John Sulecki into custody without incident, and found Patricia with a suspected gunshot wound. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead. The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit charged John Sulecki with First Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony; he was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $1,060,000 cash bond. The investigation is ongoing.

If anyone in the Millsboro area witnessed the events that day or has information about the dispute, please contact authorities.