HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS

(Wilmington, DE 19805) On Sunday, September 6, 2026, at approximately 9:11 a.m., officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to the unit block of South Cleveland Avenue in Wilmington for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers and Emergency Medical Services located 32-year-old Donald Nave suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and immediately began life-saving measures. Nave was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. Detectives from the Division's Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. As detectives continued their investigation, they developed information identifying a possible suspect and a Chevrolet Sonic believed to be the suspect vehicle. Detectives utilized Automated License Plate Reader technology to identify the vehicle and obtain its license plate number. The vehicle was subsequently determined to be registered to 31-year-old Hector Sanchez of Wilmington. Detectives also determined that Sanchez and Nave had previously been involved in a Traffic-related altercation in August 2026. Detectives later located Sanchez's vehicle in the 800 block of Market Street in Wilmington. Detectives subsequently applied for and obtained a search warrant for Sanchez's residence. With assistance from the New Castle County Police Crisis Management Group, detectives executed the search warrant and took Sanchez into custody at approximately 6:56 p.m. on September 6, 2026. During the execution of the search warrant, detectives recovered evidence connecting him to the investigation. Sanchez was transported to New Castle County Police Headquarters, where he was charged with the following offenses: • One felony count of Murder in the First Degree • One felony count of Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony Hector Sanchez was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $1,000,000 cash bail. Detectives are asking anyone with additional information to contact Detective Bruhn at (302) 395-8120, via email at Thomas.Bruhn@newcastlede.gov, or by calling the New Castle County Division of Police non-emergency number at (302) 573-2800. Hector Sanchez – 31