Paul C. Marino, 86, and his wife Lidia, 85, traveled from Elkton, Maryland, to the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear on the morning of Friday, May 8, 2020. While the couple was on the cemetery grounds at about 10:13 a.m., gunfire erupted. Lidia was pronounced dead at the scene; Paul was critically wounded, taken to a hospital, and pronounced dead the next day, Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Delaware State Police investigators identified 29-year-old Sheldon C. Francis of Middletown as the suspect. He was seen fleeing into woods between the cemetery and Brennan Boulevard. Troopers engaged him after he allegedly fired at a BearCat armored vehicle; Francis was found dead at the scene from a gunshot wound sustained in the exchange. No troopers were reported injured. Authorities said they found no evidence connecting Francis to the Marinos and did not announce a clear motive.

Anyone who was at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery that morning or who has information about the Marinos visit or the suspect’s movements is asked to come forward.