A man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2012 shooting death of University of Delaware student Peter DiSabatino.
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, Alando Dale, 35, was sentenced in New Castle County Superior Court to 30 years in prison, suspended after 20 years, followed by transitional confinement. Dale pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in September 2024 as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
The conviction stems from the November 12, 2012, shooting at Studio Green Apartments in Newark. At approximately 9:20 p.m., police responded to reports of gunfire and found DiSabatino lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The case remained unsolved for over a decade until investigators from the New Castle County Division of Police Cold Case Squad identified Dale as a suspect. With assistance from the Delaware Department of Justice, a grand jury indicted him on January 16, 2024, on charges of first-degree murder. He was arrested on January 29, 2024, by the U.S. Marshals Task Force and New Castle County Police Special Investigations Squad.
New Castle County Police Chief Colonel Jamie Leonard commended the efforts of law enforcement and expressed support for the victim’s family. “We would like to acknowledge the resilience and strength of the DiSabatino family during this difficult journey,” Leonard said. “This outcome was made possible due to the relentless work by the NCCPD Criminal Investigation Unit and a thorough investigation led by past and present Cold Case Investigators. Their determination to seek justice for victims and their families is truly commendable, and we hope this outcome can bring a sense of closure to everyone involved.”