Police said the case began when a hotel guest told staff he had killed his grandmother.
LEWES, Del. — A 30-year-old Lewes man has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge after Delaware State Police said he attacked his 72-year-old grandmother inside a Hyatt House hotel room in January and she later died.
The indictment moved the case from an assault arrest into a murder prosecution more than two months after Elizabeth Fritchey died from injuries police said she suffered at the hotel. Dempsey Fritchey remains in custody with the Delaware Department of Correction while the case proceeds in Sussex County.
Troopers were called about 5:45 p.m. Jan. 29 to the Hyatt House at 17254 Five Points Square in Lewes. Delaware State Police said the call began after a guest told hotel staff that he had killed his grandmother in one of the rooms. When troopers arrived, they found Dempsey Fritchey near the lobby. Police said he told troopers that he “may have killed his grandmother.” He was detained without incident. Troopers then went to the room and found Elizabeth Fritchey unconscious with injuries to her face and head. Police said troopers gave medical aid until emergency medical workers arrived.
Elizabeth Fritchey was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police said she died Feb. 10 from the injuries she received during the assault. Investigators said Dempsey Fritchey and Elizabeth Fritchey had been staying together in the hotel room before the attack. Delaware State Police said detectives learned that “for unknown reasons,” he suddenly assaulted his grandmother with his hands and feet, then went to the lobby and told hotel staff about what had happened. Police have not released a motive. They also have not said whether any weapon was recovered or whether anyone else was inside the room during the assault.
Dempsey Fritchey was first charged with felony first-degree assault after the January incident. He was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $300,000 cash bail after an arraignment in Justice of the Peace Court 11, according to local reports. The case changed after Elizabeth Fritchey died. On April 13, a Sussex County grand jury indicted Dempsey Fritchey on a first-degree murder charge. Delaware State Police announced the indictment May 1. The indictment does not decide guilt. It allows prosecutors to move forward with the murder case in court.
The hotel sits in the Five Points area of Lewes, a busy part of eastern Sussex County near coastal roads, shops and lodging used by visitors and local residents. The case drew attention because police said the first report came from inside the hotel and because the suspect was found close to the lobby rather than after a search. Public reports did not describe any broader threat to hotel guests or staff after troopers arrived. Authorities also have not released any public statement from Hyatt House staff, hotel guests or Elizabeth Fritchey’s family. The Delaware State Police account remains the main official record of the first response.
Several parts of the case remained unclear after the indictment was announced. Police did not say what led Dempsey Fritchey and Elizabeth Fritchey to stay at the hotel, how long they had been there, or what happened in the minutes before the assault. Investigators also did not say whether Dempsey Fritchey made any further statements after he was detained. No court date had been publicly confirmed in the first reports after the murder indictment. Prosecutors are expected to present the case through Sussex County court filings, evidence and future hearings.
The Delaware Department of Correction was holding Dempsey Fritchey as of the latest public update. The next milestone in the case is expected to come through Sussex County court proceedings after the first-degree murder indictment.
Author note: Last updated May 4, 2026.