DogsBite blog ::

browse: | Must Read Posts | sticky issues, activism, behaviorists, breed-specific laws, criminal charges, dog bite statistics, dog bite studies, fatal dog attacks, pit bull owners, breed identification, pit bull propaganda, pit bull traits, shelter dog attacks, senior citizen attacks, special reports, survivors of attacks

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share348

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Kills Owner in Baker City Who Tried to Stop a Dog Fight Inside His Home

Mitchelle Dean Segerdahl, 53, died after one of his six pit bulls clamped onto his neck.

Letter to the Editor
UPDATE 09/20/18: On Wednesday, the Baker City Herald published a follow up article in their print version. We were able to gain a copy. Baker City Police did receive a complaint about one of Mitchelle Segerdahl's pit bulls on July 26. One of his dogs had reportedly nipped at someone's ankle and was growling and acting aggressively, Police Chief Dustin Newman told the Herald. Police met with Segerdahl at his home and the matter was resolved -- no citation was issued.

At some point (no date was listed), police cited Segerdahl for failing to have a kennel permit. All households harboring more than four dogs are required to have a kennel permit, according to a local ordinance. Segerdahl obtained a permit on January 3, 2018. "If you're having too much of a problem, we will revoke a kennel permit," Chief Newman said. Apparently, that was not the case with Segerdahl, who also had to undergo a background check in order to obtain the permit.

"We all knew about the dogs," Chief Newman said, adding that they were well cared for, reports the Herald.

The major issue with Segerdahl's six pit bulls is that they would fight each other, Newman said. When police discovered Segerdahl dead inside his home on September 9, two of his six pit bulls were also dead. The dogs literally fought to their death. A September 14 news release issued by District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff states, "Evidence at the scene indicated that Mr. Segerdahl may have been attempting to break up a fight between the dogs when he received a fatal dog bite."

The Herald also interviewed Kiashandra Zimmerman, who was a good friend of Segerdahl and owns a pit bull named Batman. Despite the dogs mauling their owner to death, Zimmerman believes his surviving four pit bulls could have been adoptable. Zimmerman, who has a 3-year old daughter, said she would have gladly taken in at least two of his pit bulls, if she did not already have three dogs. Segerdahl's four remaining pit bulls were impounded by officials and euthanized.

Finally, the Herald did publish a letter to the editor on their website. Steve Culley questioned why the September 14 front page of the paper was monopolized by the recent cougar attack in Oregon, but Segerdahl's death was allocated to page two. "We have had our second pit bull death in Baker City," Culley states (since 2013 and in a city of less than 10,000 people). "The odds of being killed by a pit bull far exceed any probability of being killed by a cougar or bear," Culley said.

09/14/18: Man Killed by His Own Pit Bull
Baker City, OR - A 53-year old man died after he was attacked by a pit bull in the neck, District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff said in a press release. Mitchelle Dean Segerdahl was found dead inside his home on September 9 along with six pit bulls, two of which were dead. The cause of death was determined to be a dog bite to his neck. All six pit bulls belonged to Segerdahl. Officials believe Segerdahl was trying to break up a fight between the pit bulls when he suffered a fatal bite.

"Evidence at the scene indicated that Mr. Segerdahl may have been attempting to break up a fight between the dogs when he received a fatal dog bite." - District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff

Shirtcliff said it appears the two dead pit bulls died as a result of the dog fight. "The four remaining dogs were impounded by the Baker City Police Department and have been euthanized," states the release. Police said it was unclear exactly when the fight happened, but friends had not seen Segerdahl since September 6. In 2013, in this same small city, Jordan Ryan, 5-years old, was mauled to death by a recently adopted "rescue" pit bull belonging to his babysitter, Mary Lane.

Ten days ago, Robin Conway, 64-years old, was killed by a pit bull she had rescued from death row two weeks earlier in Columbia, Maryland. In February, David Brown, 46, died after trying to break up a fight between his family pit bull and beagle in Owensboro, Kentucky. In March, Hong Saengsamly, 49, was violently attacked and killed by her own pit bull in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Finally, in August, Della Riley, 42, was brutally killed by her family pit bull in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Needless to say, 2018 will weigh in as a heavy year for pit bulls killing their owners, the very hands that house and feed them. On the Baker City Herald Facebook page, a woman named Nina Walker claims to be Segerdahl's neighbor. She claims his pit bulls killed her dog and that he was also trying to obtain a dog kennel license for his home at 2251 Mitchell Avenue to bring in more pit bulls. We hope the Baker City Herald can verify some of these claims in the next few days.

The Baker City animal ordinance does state that a kennel permit is required to harbor more than four dogs. All property owners within 600 feet of the proposed kennel property are sent written notice in advance and have 30 days to respond if they oppose the issuance of the permit. In May 2016, Segerdahl reported to police that five of his adult pit bulls were stolen from his van while parked on Broadway Street. Segerdahl was already in violation of the city ordinance back then.

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share2

Coroner Rules Cause of Death Heart Attack After Vicious Pit Bull Attack in Morgan County, Missouri

A woman, 61, was found dead after being attacked by a pit bull she was dog sitting.

Woman Found Dead
Morgan County, MO - On September 1, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call from a man who reported that a 61-year old woman had been viciously attacked by a large pit bull at a home in the 30000 block of Proctor Road. The woman was dog sitting the pit bull at the owner's home. The man went to the home to check on the woman, Morgan County Sheriff Norman Dills said. He found her on the ground, and when he tried to help her, the pit bull attacked him.

Responding paramedics found the woman on the floor, but could not treat her due to the aggressive pit bull that was guarding her body. In addition to the September 1 attacks on the woman and man, who required surgery for his wounds, the pit bull attacked two other people previously, Sheriff Dills said. Deputies were forced to gun down the dog to reach the woman. When emergency responders were able to reach her, they discovered she was deceased.

On September 5, Captain J. D. Williams identified the victim as 61-year old Deborah Russell. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was a heart attack and not the injuries sustained in the vicious attack. Instances involving fatal heart attacks and vicious dog attacks are included in DogsBite.org statistical data when the victim sustains serious bite injuries, like the vicious attack of David Brown and his wife by a family pit bull in Owensboro, Kentucky in February of this year.

Deaths like Russell are examined on a case-by-case basis. The requirements are a vicious attack causing serious injuries when the underlying cause of death is a heart attack. Over the 13-year period of 2005 to 2017, canines killed 433 Americans. Only 1.4% (6) of those deaths involved fatal heart attacks where the victim suffered bite injuries ranging from serious to catastrophic. Typically, but not always, coroners remark that bites are a contributing cause of death in these cases.

The gist of what the sheriff is saying in the Lake Expo piece -- and in earlier news articles -- is that the woman was attacked and injured by the dog and suffered a fatal heart attack. The dog was in the home alone with the deceased victim for about an hour before being discovered. According to the coroner, the bite injuries were not lethal. The idea that a coroner could not determine pre- from postmortem bite injuries, as Sheriff Dills states, is the only part of this case that lacks reason.

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share967

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Adopted Two Weeks Ago Kills Woman in Columbia, Maryland

Robin Conway, 64, was mauled to death by a pit bull she adopted two weeks ago.

No New Information
UPDATE 09/06/18: Howard County Police Department has still not released information about the shelter or rescue that adopted out a pit bull that killed its owner two weeks later. On Labor Day, Robin Conway was mauled to death by a male pit bull she went out-of-state to adopt two weeks earlier. The adoption date coincides with August 18, where NBC and Telemundo news stations teamed up with shelters nationwide for the fourth annual "Clear the Shelters" adoption drive.

A report from Fox Baltimore states, "Family members say Conway found the dog two weeks ago at an out-of-town shelter and saved the animal from being put to death." This pit bull, presumably, was a death row dog. Despite hundreds of unwanted pit bulls in shelters closer to Conway -- eager to be adopted on August 18 -- the victim went out-of-state to get this particular dog. The results were deadly. The animal mauled her to death just after she took the dog for an evening walk.

The term "out-of-state" pertaining to rescue pit bulls is more loaded that it sounds. Hypothetically, the dog was on death row at a southern high-kill shelter until a rescue transport swooped in and gave the dog a "freedom ride" up North, where it wound up on death row (again) in a Northeastern shelter. While sitting on that death row, the dog was pulled by a different out-of-state rescue and passed through two different states before being delivered to its umpteenth "forever home."

Early reports indicate Conway was fostering the dog, which is another "fast fix" to stop the euthanasia clock for aggressive pit bulls. But the clock always keeps ticking, because virtually no foster can handle such a problematic dog for more than a few weeks. When the foster returns the dog, the "urgent death row dog" calls go out again for a new foster to stop the clock again for a few weeks. It's unknown what happened in this case, but there is a world of possibilities.

Also, the victim's sister, Susan Eve LeClair, offered up a press conference to an array of news stations Tuesday professing that not all pit bulls are bad." No one has ever said, "all pit bulls are bad." The argument is that the public -- and even trained professionals -- cannot tell the difference between a good pit bull and bad pit bull. The attack methods are the same: A "no warning," unprovoked attack with explosive aggression followed by the dog executing the killing bite.

In 2012, the highest court in Maryland issued the seminal ruling declaring "pit bulls inherently dangerous" in Tracey v. Solesky. The Court's decision was in part due to their attack method and the severe and fatal injuries pit bulls inflict. The Court did not ban pit bulls. They attached strict liability to the owner when a pit bull attacks. "When an attack involves pit bulls, it is no longer necessary to prove that the particular pit bull or pit bulls are dangerous," the Court wrote.

"Everybody's different. Every animal's different. Some animals have their problems that you don’t see on the outside." - Susan Eve LeClair

The state legislature muted the high court's ruling in 2014 after two years of high profile legislative attempts to derail the ruling and replace it with a statutory dog bite law. People like Conway and LeClair celebrated afterward. Four years later, and less than 24 hours after her sister was killed by a pit bull, LeClair sticks to her propaganda-based logic that every "dog is an individual." Even the CDC admitted 18 years ago, "there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities."

09/04/18: Adopted Pit Bull Kills Owner
Columbia, MD - A 64-year old woman is dead after being attacked by a pit bull she adopted two weeks ago, states a news release by the Howard County Police Department. Robin Conway had adopted the pit bull out-of-state. On Labor Day, police were called to a home in the 6300 block of Tamar Drive for a report that a woman had been attacked and badly injured by a pit bull she recently adopted. Officers found Conway deceased in her backyard with "significant injuries."

A family member discovered Conway in her backyard about 7:20 pm with the dog standing over. The person tied the dog to a fence post and called 911. The pit bull was "barking and lunging," and still attached to the fence post, when paramedics and police arrived. It was ultimately euthanized. Police are awaiting autopsy results from the state medical examiner's office to determine the cause of death. Police have no additional information about the adopting agency at this time.

Dispatch recordings on Webcastify.com paint an ugly picture of what first responders arrived to. "The caller is saying he thinks his wife was attacked by a dog and might be dead." There was confusion over what to do with the dog after paramedics arrived too. "It’s not safe for anyone to handle this dog right now. They are going to have to come out," presumably referring to animal control. The news release issued by police infers the pit bull was put down at the scene.

WBAL-TV interviewed the victim's sister, Susan Eve LeClair. "This is one animal she thought she could save. An animal that needed to be rescued. (And that) animal unfortunately killed her," LeClair said. Conway brought the dog home two weeks ago and began "providing foster care," reports WBAL-TV. LeClair pleaded that her sister's death should "not to be taken as something to be held against all pit bulls" less than 24 hours after the male pit bull "unfortunately killed her."

News Release: Columbia woman reportedly mauled to death by dog; Robin Conway, 64, had recently adopted pit bull out-of-state.
Howard County police were called to a residence in the 6300 block of Tamar Drive Sept. 3 for a report that a woman had been mauled to death by a pit bull she adopted two weeks ago. Officers found Robin Conway, 64, deceased in her back yard with significant injuries. The cause of Conway’s death will be determined in an autopsy by the state medical examiner.
A family member reported finding Conway injured in her yard around 7:20 p.m., with the dog standing over her. The witness called 911 and tied the dog to a fence post until assistance could arrive.
Police and paramedics responded and pronounced Conway deceased at the scene. The dog, still attached to the post, was barking and lunging on the leash and had to be subdued by animal control officers and ultimately euthanized. A necropsy will be performed to determine if the dog had rabies or any other medical issues.
There were no previous calls to animal control related to this address prior to this incident. Police do not have information about the dog’s adoption, except that it came from out-of-state.
Police are conducting a standard death investigation and awaiting autopsy results to confirm the cause of Conway’s death. - Howard County Police Department

Conway's death recalls a similar fatality in Maryland. In January 2015, Eugene Smith, 87, was critically injured by his rescue pit bull while taking down his Christmas tree. When police arrived, the pit bull was still actively attacking Smith. Officers were able to "disengage" the dog. Smith was taken to a hospital with severe injuries where he died. The male neutered pit bull was 4-years old. Smith had adopted the dog from an undisclosed Baltimore area rescue seven months earlier.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Maryland Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share547

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: West Price Hill Woman Killed by Her Pit Bull; Police Call Case 'Complex Investigation'

West Price Hill home where Della Riley, 42, was mauled to death by her own pit bull.

Seizure a Speculation
UPDATE 08/27/18: Della Riley, 42-years old, was dead by the time police arrived at her Dewey Avenue home. Arriving officers encountered a dog, which police described as a pit bull, standing over an unresponsive female. Officers shot and killed the dog after it "aggressively charged" them. The coroner determined the cause of death was due to trauma from a vicious dog mauling. When police fired on the dog, a bullet ricocheted and struck the victim who was in a post-mortem state.

Additional information became known over the weekend. Jon Seymoure, who lives next door, admitted on camera that he "guessed" Della Riley had a seizure episode that set off the fatal pit bull attack. He also admitted that her young son did not understand what had happened. "He was about 4-years old. To tell his neighbors, but I don't think he understood what was going on," Seymoure said. "If she had a seizure, then the pit bull must have gotten afraid," Seymoure said.

"It's sad to know your own dog could turn against you and snap like that ... It's sad to think that he don't have a mother anymore." - Jon Seymoure

Once again, there is absolutely no evidence the victim suffered a seizure before her own pit bull fatally attacked her. The medical examiner made no mention of a seizure or a history of seizures. From 2005 to 2017, 54 dog bite fatalities involved a dog killing its primary owner. Pit bulls inflicted 63% (34) of these deaths, over 8 times more than any other breed. Pit bulls killed their owners in all adult age groups vs. attacks without pit bulls, where 90% of owners were ≥ 50 years old.

First or Second Attack?

From August 30, 2014 to December 18, 2014, Della Riley's Facebook page shows several photos of a male pit bull, named Graffiti, lying close to her son. On December 27, 2014, Riley posts an injury photo after Graffiti attacked her right arm and wrote: "This is what my dog did to me not to long ago. he didn't mean to do it to me he is a friendly and a lovable dog. Pit bulls are mid understudied dog" [sic]. Riley also states, "The dog is gone I'm not going to get another dog."

One of her friends reminds her in a comment that pit bulls "will turn on you any second" and that the dog could have mauled her baby. "The dog is gone. I had somebody take him to the pound," Riley replied. Riley never posted another public photo of her pit bull afterward. We do not know if the fatal attacker was Graffiti or a new pit bull she acquired after 2014. Media reports indicate there were two dogs in Riley's Dewey Avenue home during the attack: a pit bull and a rottweiler.

In a number of cases where victims were fatally mauled by their own dogs, the canine(s) had a history of aggression, including a serious attack on their owner beforehand -- attacks requiring surgery and hospitalization. Furthermore, Riley states back in 2014, "I'm not going to get another dog." Yet, she had two in her home when her own pit bull ripped her throat out in front of her son on August 22, 2018. In fact, she owned the top two killing dog breeds, a pit bull and a rottweiler.

Photographs from the mother's Facebook page from August 30, 2014 to December 18, 2014.

Nine days later, on December 27, 2014, the pit bull named Graffiti attacked Della Riley.

08/23/18: Pit Bull Fatally Attacks Owner
The Hamilton County Coroner confirmed that a West Price Hill mother was mauled to death by her own pit bull on Wednesday. The coroner identified the woman as 42-year old Della Riley. The coroner also stated that Riley suffered a bullet wound from a ricochet when police shot and killed the dog. Police fired on the canine after it "aggressively charged the officers." The woman was already dead when the bullet struck her, authorities said. The woman also owned a rottweiler.

First responders were initially dispatched to the home about 1:00 pm Wednesday after a report of a person suffering a seizure. The victim's 5-year old son ran from the house, asking neighbors for help. Jon Seymoure, who lives next door, told Fox 19 yesterday, "The mother had a seizure and the dog attacked her. From what I hear, he ripped her throat out." Apparently, the little boy witnessed the horrific attack. His father arrived while police were still processing the scene.

Media Release - August 23, 2018 - Death Investigation
Cincinnati, OH - On August 22, 2018, at approximately 1:00 pm, the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD) responded to 1635 Dewey Avenue for the report of a person having a seizure. Upon arrival, CFD discovered a female being attacked by a dog inside the residence and requested assistance from the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD). District Three officers responded and encountered the dog standing over an unresponsive female. As the officers entered the residence to render assistance to the victim, the dog aggressively charged the officers, at which time they discharged their handguns, striking and killing the animal.
Upon further investigation by the Hamilton County Coroner's Office, it was determined that the female was deceased prior to the arrival of CPD. The Office of the Hamilton County Coroner, Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, conducted a post-mortem examination that determined the cause of death was due to trauma sustained by the victim who had been viciously mauled by the dog. It was also determined that one of the rounds fired by the responding officers at the dog traveled through a nearby mattress, ricocheted off the floor, and struck the female victim in the abdomen. It was confirmed during the autopsy that the bullet struck the body in a post-mortem state. | View full news release - Cincinnati Police Department

08/23/18: Pit Bull Suspected in Death
Cincinnati, OH - Fox 19 confirmed late last night that a woman was found dead after neighbors say she was attacked by her own pit bull. The attack occurred about 1:00 pm in the 1600 block of Dewey Avenue in West Price Hill. Neighbor's say a small boy ran out of the home, saying that someone was having a seizure, and a neighbor called 911. The Hamilton County Coroner said a dog was guarding the woman when paramedics arrived, so police shot and killed the animal.

"The mother had a seizure and the dog attacked her. From what I hear, he ripped her throat out." - Next door neighbor Jon Seymoure

Police are calling the case a "complex investigation" and continue to examine what exactly occurred inside the home. The 5-year old boy is the son of the woman, according to the Fox 19 report. "It's a tragic thing that it happens like that," said neighbor Marietta Alexander. She said the boy's father came home while police were still processing the scene. She expressed heartbreak knowing that a small boy witnessed it all. "I feel bad for the boy, I really do,"Alexander said.

Pit bulls have been involved in several fatal dog attacks where the victim had a history of seizures. As many of these attacks are unwitnessed, it is unknown if the attack caused the seizure or if the seizure caused the attack, or if there was a seizure at all. Our nonprofit has no other dog breed on record, except pit bulls, involved in a fatal dog mauling where a seizure might have preempted the attack. Some of these victims include: Jamie Owsley, Tonia Parks and Kelli Chapman.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Ohio Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share175

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Rocky Mount Man Found Dead Inside Home with Pit Bull Injuries

Rocky Mount Police found Gurney Walker, 75, dead inside a home with pit bull injuries.

Victim Identified
UPDATE 08/22/18: Police released the name of an elderly man who was killed by a pit bull over the weekend. Gurney Walker, 75, was found dead inside a home at 408 Buena Vista Avenue about 2:35 am Saturday morning. Police were called to the home for a suspicious event, reports WRAL, but they did not elaborate on who called for help. Cpl. Brad Summerlin of the Rock Mounty Police previously stated that Walker was "staying at the home" of the owner of the pit bull.

When officers arrived at the scene, the pit bull was inside the home. The Pitt County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on Walker's body Sunday, reports WITN. The cause and manner of death results remain pending. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rocky Mount Police Department at (252) 972-1411, Twin County Crime Stoppers at (252) 977-1111 or Text-A-Tip (Text RMPOL) your message to CRIMES (274637). Your text is anonymous.

08/21/18: Rocky Mount Man Found Dead
Rocky Mount, NC - A 75-year old man was found dead at a home with injuries inflicted by a pit bull, Rocky Mount Police said. Authorities responded to a residence in the 400 block of Buena Vista Avenue about 2:35 am Saturday and discovered the man deceased inside. Police said the man had sustained injuries from a pit bull. The victim's identity was not released. His body was taken to the Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. Police continue to investigate his death.

This is the third fatal pit bull attack in North Carolina in nine months. On August 9, a 66-year old woman, still unnamed, was killed by two pit bulls while walking in a Lake Tillery development in Montgomery County. Last November, 65-year old David Baber of Hamlet was killed by two of his five dogs, a pit bull and a mixed-breed, in his fenced-in backyard in Richmond County. A 9-year old boy witnessed the attack and threw bricks at the dogs to no avail, trying to get them to stop.

A License to Kill

On Wednesday, the Rocky Mount Telegram added new information. In a press release issued by Rocky Mount Police, Cpl. Brad Summerlin said the man was "staying at the home" of the owner of the pit bull on Buena Vista Avenue when the fatal attack occurred -- yet another common fatal pit bull mauling scenario. Summerlin said he doesn’t believe the owner of the pit bull will face any criminal charges. “The dog has been seized and is in quarantine at this time,” Summerlin said.

Since January 1, 2018, canines have killed at least 20 Americans. Pit bulls were involved in three-quarters of these attacks. Criminal charges have been brought in only one case, 5% of fatalities this year. One might presume the lone criminal case involved an at large pit bull mauling and killing a woman walking down the street in broad daylight, such as in the deaths of Karen Brown and more recently in Lake Tillery. That is a false presumption. Having pit bulls is a license to kill.

A wire dog crate is seen on the porch of the pit bull owner's home on Buena Vista Avenue.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: North Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

Share454

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman, 64, Killed by Pit Bulls in Lake Tillery Development in Montgomery County

Olga Rekhson, 64-years old, was killed by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development.

Victim Identified
UPDATE 08/27/18: The woman mauled to death by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development on August 9 has been identified. Olga Rekhson, 64-years old, of 172 Cranberry Way, Troy, was the victim of the fatal attack, according to Capt. Kelsey Brown with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Rekhson was taking her daily walk at the time. When she did not return home after several hours, her husband and friends began searching for her. Unable to locate her, they called 911.

Within hours, she was discovered deceased on the side of an unused road within the development. An investigation conducted with the assistance of the Medical Examiner's Office, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Animal Control revealed Rekhson had been attacked by dogs. "Law enforcement searched the neighborhood and located two pit bull dogs with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement," states a news release from the sheriff's office.

08/17/18: Victim Still Unidentified
Over a week after a woman was mauled to death by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development, neither the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office or the sheriff’s office will release the victim's name. Authorities also did not release the location of the attack; Lake Tillery has multiple developments and is over 10 miles in length. Three days ago, a person on the Montgomery Herald's Facebook post said the deadly attack occurred in the Holiday Shores community.

A spokesman with the district attorney's office told the Courier-Tribune Friday that her death is still under investigation. An August 10 statement by Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins specified the "owner of the dogs is cooperating with officials" and characterized the fatal pit bull mauling as a "tragic event." Watkins also specified last Saturday that the case remained a death investigation, not a criminal one. So, why the release of her name has been delayed is unclear.

08/10/18: Pit Bulls Kill Woman
Troy, NC - Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins released a statement Friday about a 66-year old woman mauled to death by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development on the western side of the county. She was discovered "deceased on the side of an unused road within the development." Two pit bull dogs "with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement" were located and taken into custody by animal control. The victim's name has not been released.

Google Maps shows that there is only one substantial development on the eastern shore of Lake Tillery. The woman was taking her daily walk when it came to a violent end -- she was horribly struck down by two loose pit bulls. The inclusion of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in the investigation may have been due to excluding the possibility the attacker was a wild animal. This 66-year old female victim is the 545th person mauled to death by a pit bull in the United States.

On Thursday, August 9, 2018, a resident of a Lake Tillery development on the western side of Montgomery County went missing while taking her daily walk. After several hours the 66 year old female did not return home. Her husband called neighbors and friends who searched the area. They were unable to locate her and call 911. Sheriff's deputies and search and rescue were sent to the scene. Within hours she was discovered deceased on the side of an unused road within the development. An investigation was conducted with the assistance of the Medical Examiner's Office, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Animal Control. The investigation revealed she had been attacked by dogs. Law enforcement searched the neighborhood and located two pit bull dogs with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement. The animals were taken into custody by Animal Control and are being quarantined. The owner of the dogs is cooperating with officials and the matter is still under investigation and review by the District Attorney's Office. The name of the victim is being withheld until family members can be notified. The victim is being sent to the NC Medical Examiner's Office in Raleigh for an autopsy. "This is a very tragic event, which has deeply affected the family, friends, deputies and first responders, our thoughts and prayers are being extended to all." - Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins

On Saturday, Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins told the News & Observer, "The owner agreed for the dogs to be euthanized so they could be forensically examined to see if they suffered from rabies." Medical examiners also wanted to examine the canines' jaw sizes, Watkins said. As of Saturday, the most recent fatal pit bull attack remained a death investigation, not a criminal investigation. As of Sunday afternoon, the victim's name still has not been released.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: North Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.