New, disturbing details were revealed through court documents in the case of 74-year-old Ronald Donaway, a Millsboro man charged with brutally murdering his ex-wife.
According to court documents, Donaway told police “kill me now, because I will not surrender my weapons.”
Police made contact with Donaway as he tried leaving Abbys Way in Bridgeville where he allegedly fired multiple rounds into the home of his 70-year-old ex-wife, Hilda Donaway, who, according to the arrest warrant, was found on the kitchen floor with apparent gunshot wounds to her head and upper body.
The incident occurred around 6:18 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 22 when police were called to the 11000 block of Abbys Way for reports of a shooting. The investigation revealed Ronald Donaway showed up at the home, which was occupied at the time by his ex-wife Hilda and her 23-year-old grandson. The grandson was able to flee the scene through a bedroom window and was uninjured.
While outside, Donaway began shooting with a rifle into the windows of the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms.
Several neighbors called police when they heard the gunfire ring out and, according to the arrest warrant, witnessed Ronald Donaway firing rounds from the rifle into the home.
Ronald Donaway tried to flee the scene in his vehicle, according to police, but was stopped at the entrance of the community. According to the arrest warrant, when police approached him they noticed visible signs of blood on his hands.
“I killed her, what are you going to do,” Donaway told police as they approached the vehicle, court documents revealed. He then got out of the car and told troopers “kill me now, because I will not surrender my weapons.”
Donaway was taken into custody. While on the way to the police station, court documents reveal that Donaway made several statements to police, all of which were caught on mobile video, including “go ahead and kill me, shoot. I was planning on dying here with her tonight.”
Police would later interview the grandson who, according to the arrest warrant, said that his grandfather threatened to kill both him and his grandmother on numerous occasions. He then told police that his grandfather would show up at the home multiple times for no apparent reason, and that he owned several firearms, including an AR-15 rifle.
The gunshots and evidence collected at the scene are consistent with an AR-15 rifle, according to court documents, that is the weapon believed to have been used in the murder. The firearm was found in the front passenger seat inside the vehicle that Ronald Donaway was driving.
Ronald Donaway has been charged with Murder First Degree (Felony), Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony), Home Invasion (Felony), and Reckless Endangering First Degree (Felony). He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court #3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of a $900,000.00 cash bond.