Lewes Man Charged with Felony Assault After Hotel Incident with his Grandmother

Lewes, DE - The Delaware State Police have arrested a 30-year-old man from Lewes, Delaware. Dempsey Fritchey faces felony assault charges following an incident at a local hotel. The event took place on the evening of January 29, 2026.

Troopers responded to the Hyatt House at 17254 Five Points Square around 5:45 p.m. Hotel staff contacted authorities after a guest claimed he had killed his grandmother.

Officers arrived and located Fritchey near the lobby. He repeated the claim to the troopers and was detained without incident.

Police entered the hotel room and found a 72-year-old woman unconscious. She had sustained injuries to her head and face. Troopers provided medical aid until EMS personnel arrived. The victim was then taken to an area hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The Delaware State Police Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit is leading the investigation.

Detectives learned that Fritchey and the victim were staying in the room together.

Fritchey allegedly assaulted his grandmother with his hands and feet before alerting staff in the lobby. The motive remains unknown.

Fritchey was transported to Troop 7 and charged with First Degree Assault. This felony charge involves conduct that creates a risk of death and causes serious injury.

He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 11. He is currently committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $300,000 cash bond.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective D. Hickman at (302) 752-3856. Information may also be provided to the Delaware State Police via private Facebook message or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

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.