Georgetown man receives 45-year sentence for Royal Farms attack

A Georgetown man will serve 45 years in jail for a September 2022 attack at a Royal Farms that left a 38-year-old Georgetown man dead.

Kevin Shorter, 26, had previously pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges of second-degree murder in the attack, as well as a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. Shorter had been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Paul McCarter, whom Shorter attacked with a baseball bat at a Georgetown Royal Farms. The assault was captured by video cameras within the store.

Both Shorter’s defense attorney, Chris Hutchison, and prosecutor Casey Ewart agreed with doctor’s evaluations that Shorter was mentally ill. Hutchison said at the Dec. 13 sentencing hearing that Shorter was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and at the time of the killing, had been acting in an erratic and delusional way and was using drugs. He said since Shorter’s arrest, he has been undergoing counseling and been put on medication. Hutchison said the video of the killing was disturbing and that Shorter was horrified by what he had done.

Shorter and McCarter had become acquainted through local homeless encampments. According to Hutchison, at some point, Shorter believed that McCarter was out to harm him. On Sept. 7, 2022, Ewart said, Shorter followed McCarter into the Royal Farms armed with a baseball bat, and as McCarter came out of the bathroom, Shorter attacked him with the bat. Ewart said after hitting McCarter several times, Shorter walked away. At that point, she said, McCarter was hurt but still alive. Shorter then came back and beat McCarter again with the bat. McCarter was taken to the hospital in critical condition and later died of his injuries.

Ewart said when Delaware State Police came to question Shorter, he lied to the police about his whereabouts and denied committing the assault. 

“The defendant deserves a lengthy prison sentence,” Ewart said. “He beat a man to death with a baseball bat. For no reason.”

Because of the mental health aspect of Shorter’s plea, the prosecution and defense agreed that Shorter’s sentence would be no less than 35 years and no more than 50 years. 

Prior to sentencing, Shorter apologized to McCarter’s family and said he felt remorseful for what happened. He said he knew he made a poor decision for which he will have to pay for a long time. He said he wants to try to make himself better every day during his sentence.

Terry Ellis, McCarter’s mother, gave a short statement on behalf of the family, many of whom were in court for the sentencing, saying, “We forgive him, and God have mercy on his soul.”

In passing sentence, Judge Rob Robinson said while he was glad Shorter had begun getting mental health treatment, his crime was worthy of a long sentence.

“This was one of the more shocking things we’ve seen in this court,” he said.