Background: Erica Young spoke to WTOC about being stabbed by Delano Middleton in 2021 (WTOC). Inset: Delano Middleton (Chatham County Detention Center).
A Georgia man, accused of fatally stabbing a teenager at a Walmart last month, has been linked to a disturbing pattern of similar violent offenses, including a previous attack that forced one woman to flee the state for her safety.
Delano Middleton, 48, was taken into custody on October 30, following accusations that he brutally stabbed 18-year-old J.T. Schroeder at a Walmart located on Whitemarsh Island. According to reports from Law&Crime, Middleton’s criminal history is marked by numerous violent convictions, and he was on probation when the tragic incident involving Schroeder occurred.
Erica Young, one of Middleton’s past victims, shared her harrowing experience with WTOC, a CBS affiliate, detailing the terrifying encounter she had with him while at work.
Young was employed at a U-Haul facility in Savannah, Georgia, on October 22, 2021, when she encountered Middleton for the first time. She recounted to WTOC that upon seeing Middleton, she offered assistance, only for him to respond violently by “shov[ing] a cart over on top of me and just started stabbing me.”
During the sudden and unprovoked assault, Young said Middleton chillingly expressed a desire to “watch me bleed out.” He inflicted stab wounds to her head and stomach, and Young revealed that she continues to suffer from memory loss due to the injuries sustained in the attack.
As Middleton faced legal proceedings, he was incarcerated for two years before ultimately pleading guilty to aggravated assault. His sentence included two years of imprisonment followed by eight years of probation. After accounting for time already served, Middleton was released from custody in December 2023.
Young told WTOC that out of fear, she and her two children left the state of Georgia after Middleton was released. She said that she would be willing to testify against him if the murder case goes to trial. But she told WTOC that “the system failed that kid’s family,” referring to Schroeder. She said, “If they would have did their job in my case or the other cases, because there’s other victims besides myself, then he wouldn’t have been on the streets to be able to hurt a child.”
According to police, Middleton was leaving the Walmart store on the evening of Oct. 23 when Schroeder purportedly kicked his shopping cart. This incident allegedly led to the altercation that cost Schroeder his life. The teenager was taken to the hospital and died the following day after being taken off life support and donating his organs.
Middleton is charged with murder and is being held without bond at Chatham County Detention Center.
