Two men were convicted in a shooting that killed a prospective student who was visiting Delaware State University (DSU) last year.
On April 21, 2024, Damien Hinson and Destry Jones – both of Dover, Delaware — were involved in a fight with two other people over money near the Tubman-Laws dormitory at DSU in Dover. Hinson, Jones and the others involved in the fight then ran across College Road. Jones then gave Hinson a gun which he used to fire seven shots at the people they were arguing with.
Hinson missed his intended targets and instead shot and killed Camay De Silva, an 18-year-old prospective student who was visiting the school. Investigators said she had no connection with anyone involved in the fight.
The murder of Camay De Silva
Hinson was later arrested on May 2, 2024, in the parking lot of the Gateway West Shopping Center in Dover, Delaware. He was charged with second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and conspiracy.
Jones was also arrested that same day at an apartment complex in New York City. He was charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, and conspiracy.
On Sept. 22, 2025, Hinson, 19, pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Jones, 22, pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2025. His sentencing is scheduled to take place on Dec. 4, 2025.
Neither Hinson nor Jones were enrolled in or had any affiliation with Delaware State University, officials said.
Family members described De Silva as a “beautiful and intelligent young lady who had an infectious smile and was a ray of sunshine.”
“She graduated with a 3.0 grade point average in 2023 from Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware,” the family wrote.
Family members said De Silva began her college career at Morgan State but decided she wanted to come home to Delaware. She then attended Delaware Technical Community College and planned to attend DSU in the fall of 2024 to pursue a degree in Computer Science to help achieve her ultimate goal of working in cybersecurity.
At the time of the deadly shooting, De Silva was visiting a friend at DSU and attended a party on campus that night.
“Camay Mitchell De Silva was, by all accounts, a bright, promising, and beloved young woman,” Attorney General Kathy Jennings said. “It is disgraceful that she was taken from those who loved her – all because two reckless individuals thought they had the right to resort to lethal violence over a petty dispute. I am deeply grateful to our DOJ staff and the Dover Police Department for their work in securing this conviction, and I hope that it offers her family the closure they so desperately deserve.”
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
