Lewes man sentenced for rape

A Lewes man was given life sentences for rape and other charges Jan. 26 for raping a Rehoboth Beach woman in 2015.

David Elder, 45, a habitual offender, was given life in prison for first-degree rape, second-degree rape, first-degree burglary and wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony. Sussex County Superior Court Judge T. Henley Graves said he was in agreement with the jury decision when jurors found Elder guilty of those charges in December.

Graves told Elder that he acted with depravity when he went to the 78-year-old woman's home and raped her while wearing a mask.

“And then to say it was a little romantic thing,” he said.

State prosecutor Casey L. Ewart asked for the maximum sentence for Elder. “He's the worst of the worst,” she said.

In the event Elder were to get out of prison, Graves said, he would have to register as a tier 3 sex offender. He must also undergo a mental health evaluation and comply with any recommended treatment, Graves said.

Dressed in prison attire, Elder made no comment during his sentencing. 

In the early morning of Dec. 28, 2015, Elder rode his electric-powered bicycle to the home of a woman he knew, who was 78 years old at the time. Police said Elder used a key to enter her home, and he was wearing a gray ski mask when he sexually assaulted her.

The woman recognized his electric-powered bicycle and then called Elder’s wife on the telephone. The two were still talking on the telephone when Elder returned to his home, police said.

The wife ran out of the home and called 911; police arrested Elder with the mask he wore during the incident.

At the time, Elder was a tier 2 registered sex offender following an unlawful sexual contact conviction in 1993. He was previously declared a habitual offender for failure to re-register as a sex offender in 2012.