James Blanchfield, a 32-year-old white man from New Castle, Delaware, was killed on June 24, 1987, at 28 Prosperity Road in the DuRoss Heights neighborhood. Police testimony says he was shot while sleeping with a 20-gauge shotgun; his younger brother, 19-year-old Thomas H. Blanchfield, reportedly fired two rounds into James’s head and later disposed of the gun in the Christina River.

Authorities described the killing as arising from a love-triangle involving Brenda L. Hults, 21, who had formerly been in a relationship with James. Detective Philip J. Young testified that Hults had suffered repeated abuse from James and had become romantically involved with Thomas; after James refused to end the relationship with Hults, the three allegedly conspired to kill him, with planning said to have begun earlier that year.

Three people were implicated. Thomas Blanchfield was charged with first-degree murder, weapon possession during a felony, and second-degree conspiracy and was held on $10 million bail. Brenda L. Hults pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal solicitation and had a second-degree conspiracy charge dropped; she remained free under $30,000 bail. Robert Blest, 18, was charged as an accomplice to first-degree murder, weapon possession, and conspiracy but later pleaded guilty to conspiracy with the other charges dropped; his bail was reduced from $10 million to $100,000.