State Police Arrest Saint Georges Man for Murder Following Road Rage Shooting

Date Posted: Wednesday, August 5th, 2026

Graphic titled “Homicide Investigation” showing a Delaware State Police detective and trooper at a staged crime scene with police vehicles and yellow crime scene tape overlaying the image. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

Delaware State Police has arrested 28-year-old William Simpler Jr., of Saint Georges, Delaware, for murder following a road rage shooting in Newark on Tuesday.

On August 4, 2026, at approximately 1:30 p.m., troopers responded to the intersection of Salem Church Road and Old Baltimore Pike in Newark for a report of a shooting. Responding troopers located 46-year-old Jason Paoletti of Bear, Delaware, lying in the roadway suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

Due to the nature of the incident, the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit assumed the investigation. Preliminarily, detectives learned that the victim, who was operating a motorcycle, was traveling behind a Hyundai Elantra and stopped for a red light at the intersection. Paoletti then pulled his motorcycle in front of the Hyundai, and the Hyundai then moved alongside the victim on his left side. Paoletti and the occupants of the Hyundai then became involved in a verbal altercation. The victim stepped off his motorcycle and began to reach into a saddlebag when the front-seat passenger of the Hyundai, later identified as Simpler Jr., shot Paoletti. Through investigative means, detectives identified the suspect and the Hyundai that fled the scene.

Detectives responded to Simpler’s residence, where he was taken into custody without incident. He was taken to Troop 2, where he was charged with the offenses listed below, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court, and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $1,500,000 cash bond.

Mugshot of William Simpler

Murder First Degree (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or has lost a loved one to a sudden death and needs assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.

Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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