Newark – Yesterday (August 7), at approximately 5:00 p.m. New Castle County Police Patrol Officers were dispatched to the unit block of North Skyward Drive in the community of Breezewood for a domestic-related shooting. Upon arrival, the patrol units were able to secure the scene.
Detectives from the New Castle County Police Criminal Investigations Unit arrived on scene and assumed the investigation.
The detectives’ investigation revealed that yesterday, (August 7) 23-year-old Rachel Roberts was home on the unit block of North Skyward Drive with a young child and another family member. Her ex-boyfriend, 23-year-old Probyn Morris arrived at the home and forced his way into the residence armed with a handgun. During the commotion, the family member and the small child were able to flee to a neighbor’s residence; that neighbor called 911.
While police were en route witnesses reported hearing several shots being fired. Police officers from both New Castle County Police and Delaware State Police arrived on scene and located Rachel Roberts outside in the yard near her home; she was suffering from gunshot wounds. Ms. Roberts was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased. Probyn Morris was also located in the yard suffering from an apparent gunshot wound; he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Morris was located with a handgun near his person.
A relative of a person who reportedly witnessed the incident told First State Update that they were told Morris shot at Roberts several times and then walked up to her, stood over her and shot her at point-blank range, police have not confirmed this account of the incident.
Today, (August 8) the Delaware Medical Examiner’s Office classified this incident as a murder-suicide. The Medical Examiner’s Office further reported that the cause of death of Rachel Roberts was multiple gunshot wounds and the manner was ruled a homicide. The cause of death for Probyn Morris was a single self-inflicted gunshot wound and his manner of death was ruled a suicide.