Delaware State Police have launched a death investigation following the fatal injury of an elderly corrections inmate at a New Castle County psychiatric facility.
Authorities were called to Delaware Psychiatric Hospital on DuPont Highway in New Castle around 6:00 p.m. on April 19, 2026, following reports of an assault. According to investigators, 73-year-old Fred O’Neal III, who was serving a sentence, got into a fight with another inmate at the facility. O’Neal sustained life-threatening injuries during the incident and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he subsequently passed away.
O’Neal’s body has been transferred to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy to establish how he died and what caused his death.
Detectives with the Delaware State Police Criminal Investigations Unit continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Anyone who has been affected by crime or sudden loss can reach out to the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit and Delaware Victim Center for support. Help is available around the clock by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461) or sending an email to [email protected].
