Delaware Man Indicted on Manslaughter Charge in Fatal Fentanyl Case

State of DE - On May 12, 2026, New Castle County Police responded to the home of a 50-year-old Wilmington, Delaware woman for a possible overdose. The woman was found dead with several bags of what was later determined to be fentanyl.

An investigation followed and through that investigation, detectives determined that Kane Stanford, 32, of Wilmington, Delaware was the supplier of the fentanyl, and a search warrant was carried out at his home.

Officers found a large amount of fentanyl in bags with the same stamps as the ones found at the victim's home. They also found two firearms and ammunition.

The woman's cause of death was later determined to be a mix of fentanyl, xylazine and medetomidine intoxication.

On August 31, 2026, Stanford was indicted in New Castle County Superior Court. He faces charges of manslaughter, two counts of drug dealing, felony drug possession and two counts of possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings spoke about the case. "Drug addiction is a cruel disease," she said. "Those who would prey upon its victims with laced and increasingly deadly products are even more cruel."

She thanked the Department of Justice team and the New Castle County Police Department for their work on the case. "I am profoundly grateful to our DOJ team and our partners in the NCCPD for their outstanding work in this case," she said. "We will continue to hold offenders accountable."

Colonel James J. Leonard III also spoke about the investigation. "This investigation demonstrates our detectives' commitment to following the evidence and holding those responsible accountable," he said.

He said the work led detectives to the person who supplied the drugs. "Through their work, detectives identified the individual who supplied dangerous and deadly drugs to our communities, ultimately resulting in a loss of life," he said. "Together, working with the Department of Justice, we will continue to pursue those who sell these drugs and hold them accountable."

A trial date has not yet been set.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.