Delaware State Police are conducting an in-custody death investigation after a man wanted for 2nd Degree Rape died while in transport to the police station.
According to the Delaware State Police Department, the incident occurred around 10 a.m., Wednesday as detectives responded to the Bait and Tackle Shop at the Indian River Inlet located at 25012 Coastal Highway, in an attempt to reach 72-year-old Stanley Bradley, of Milton, Delaware.
Police received information that Bradley may have been at the business hanging out. He was wanted on an outstanding warrant for Rape 2nd Degree (Felony), according to police.
As detectives pulled into the parking lot, Bradley was spotted leaving the business. Contact was made with him, at which time police say he was very cooperative and was taken into custody without incident.
Bradley was placed in the front seat of the detectives’ divisionally issued Ford Taurus, with one of the detectives sitting in the backseat and the other driving. As the vehicle was traveling to Delaware State Police Troop 3 on Coastal Highway, in the area of Johnson Road, Bradley reportedly requested the detectives pull over because he thought he was suffering from a medical event.
Detectives immediately pulled over and both exited the vehicle to check on Bradley, who was now unconscious, police said. One detective immediately called 911 to request medical assistance as the other began performing CPR. Life-saving measures were performed until EMS arrived, who continued CPR before transporting Bradley to Bayhealth Sussex Campus.
Bradley was stabilized and transported to Bayhealth Hospital in Dover where he died at approximately 6 p.m.
The investigation revealed Bradley had a long medical history and had been hospitalized multiple times during the last year for cardiac issues. Bradley was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy to be performed.
On March 10, the Medical Examiner ruled Bradley died from natural causes pending a toxicology examination. There was nothing suspicious and no signs of trauma found during the investigation.
This case remains pending active by the Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit pending the toxicology results. Due to the sensitive nature of the charges that Bradley was wanted for, police say no further information will be released regarding the case.
