Delaware
Delaware man arrested almost 30 years after Florida homicide of girlfriend
What to do if someone you know goes missing
Tips to follow if someone you know goes missing.
A Delaware man has been charged with murder in a decades-old cold case outside of Tampa, Florida.
Delaware State Police arrested 72-year-old Stephen Ford on Aug. 16 during a traffic stop near his home in Georgetown.
Ford has been charged with second-degree murder with a weapon in the death of 45-year-old Doris A. Korell in December 1996 in Palmetto, Florida, according to Manatee County police. Korell, who was Ford’s girlfriend at the time, was found in a ditch off of U.S. Route 41 and was stabbed 83 times, Manatee County police said.
Ford was extradited and booked into Manatee County Jail on Aug. 30.
Ford and Korell had lived together in St. Petersburg, and Korell had a daughter in Maryland who had reported her missing in December 1996. Later that month, Ford attempted suicide by ingesting bleach, and he continually denied any involvement, Manatee County police said.
“An eye for an eye,” Ford said to Manatee County police in 1997 when detectives asked him what should happen to the person who killed Korell. “If I killed her, I should get the death penalty.”
Soon after, a letter from him to an ex-girlfriend said, “He has no time for you know who, and hopes she’ll leave soon. … I hope she gets the message that I don’t want her here anymore.”
Other than that letter, physical evidence and leads from both St. Petersburg and Manatee County police became sporadic and the case became cold in 1997.
In 2017, the case was reopened by cold case detectives, and six years of investigations found enough evidence to produce probable cause to arrest Ford on charges in Korell’s homicide. During the investigation, people who knew Korell said she feared Ford, and they had financial troubles and common arguments, according to Manatee County police.
Those details and other evidence led Manatee County police to believe Ford was acting on the consciousness of guilt, they said.
More on the investigation: ‘If I killed her, I should get the death penalty’: Man arrested in 1997 Manatee cold case
Shane Brennan covers New Castle County with a focus on Newark and surrounding communities. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com. Follow @shanebrennan36 on X, formerly Twitter, for the latest news and updates.
Is Jersey Mike’s the new fast‑food king? How it beat Chick‑fil‑A
Jersey Mike’s beats Chick-fil-A for top customer satisfaction in ACSI study; praised for fresh, made-to-order subs.
Plans for one of the nation’s most popular fast-food chains to open a location in the city of Delaware are moving forward.
Chick-fil-A is planning a new 5,033-square-foot restaurant with a double drive-through lane on a nearly 2-acre site on Delaware’s east side.
The development plans are headed to Delaware City Council after the city’s Planning Commission approved them July 1.
This location would be the first Chick-fil-A in the city of Delaware, but not in the county. The chain has a location in Lewis Center and three in the Polaris area, according to the company’s website.
The popular chicken restaurant, a Chipotle location and other to-be-announced restaurants and retail are part of a new Trailhead Crossing development planned on the eastern edge of Delaware near Sunbury Road (State Route 36) and Sky View Lane, documents indicate. City council approved rezoning the site in February.
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The restaurant will include 92 indoor seats, an outdoor patio with 20 seats and 68 parking spots, planning documents show.
An internal access drive connecting to Sky View Lane from the west and Biltmore Drive from the north will be built within the site and will connect to all the lots within the Trailhead Crossing development. The access from Sky View Lane will be right-in/right-out only. The site will not have access directly from Sunbury Road, city documents state.
Chris Tebbe, an engineer with the Dublin-based firm Tebbe Civil Engineering, didn’t know an exact opening date for the restaurant, but said once plans are approved by the City Council, crews will be working on the location this year into next year.
Delaware County and eastern Columbus suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 10:19PM
ASTON, Pa. (WPVI) — Summer camps are in full swing, and on Wednesday the Action Cam was in Aston, where kids are getting some hands-on learning at Delaware County Technical School.
Middle school students are exploring career pathways as they build, cook, design and create in state-of-the-art classrooms.
They are doing everything from carpentry to cosmetology.
By the end of camp, the kids will create STEAM-based projects that they can take home.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Across the State Trained AmeriCorps VISTA members will be on-site at 21 Delaware Libraries providing walk-in assistance for digital literacy
DOVER, Del. — The Delaware Libraries today announced the launch of a 10-week summer program aiming to support Delawareans on digital literacy.
The AmeriCorps Digital Literacy Specialists assist the public with computer and technology questions, including completing online applications, navigating websites, and building basic digital skills. As patrons become more comfortable, specialists can introduce them to the many free computer training programs and learning resources available through Delaware Libraries including in-person classes. This project is an initiative of the Division’s Social Innovation Team.
“Libraries are proud to expand their digital literacy specialist supports this summer with a presence in 21 Delaware Libraries,” said Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian of Delaware. “The digital landscape is ever evolving, and the Delaware Libraries stands at the ready to help Delawareans navigate AI, software skills, social media concepts, and more.”
There is no appointment needed for a meeting or to ask a question to a Specialist.
The Specialists are trained to support many concepts, including:
- Essential Software Skills
- Personalized Assistance
- Workplace Technology
- AI – Understanding & Help
- Basic Computer Skills & Classes
- Social Media Help
- Navigate Internet, Avoid Scams
- Using Tech in Daily Life, Device Help
- Learning Express, Northstar Certification
- And Much More!
Visit DelawareLibraries.org/Digital to view a full schedule of Specialists. For more services visit DelawareLibraries.org/GetConnected!
Delaware Libraries offer specialty library cards for every age group, including a My First Delaware Library Card for birth to age 5, a Super Library Card for children ages 6–12; a Teen Delaware Library Card for ages 13-17 and Delaware Library cards for everyone.
Sign up for a Delaware Library Card today! It’s Easy! It’s Free! It’s Online!
Instructions in Spanish are also available. (En el sitio web de las bibliotecas de Delaware se pueden encontrar instrucciones en español para obtener una tarjeta de biblioteca gratuita de Delaware)
Programming celebrating the Delaware Libraries’ 125th anniversary will continue throughout the year.
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