Pit Bull Owner Sentenced to 10 Months After Submitting Guilty Plea
Billene "Billi" Cameron, 65, died after a vicious attack by two pit bulls in Kennewick.
Judge Sentences Dog Owner
UPDATE 08/01/24: The owner of two pit bulls that killed a Kennewick business owner last year was sentenced to months in jail. Sara Amilia Madrigal, 34, was sentenced on July 31 on a charge of dog attack causing injury or death. Madrigal's pair of pit bulls, Mando and Macani, had previously been declared dangerous and had a history of getting loose prior to attacking Billene “Billi” Cameron and her small dog on September 20, 2023. Cameron died the next day due to medical complications.
Judge Diana Ruff sentenced Madrigal to 10 months with work release, more than double the amount of four months recommended by prosecution, reports the Tri-City Herald. Due to sentencing guidelines, the maximum sentence was only 365 days. "She had dangerous dogs roaming the neighborhood, she knew they had attacked people and animals before," Ruff said. Ruff believed that four months was insufficient for allowing legally declared dangerous dogs to roam the community and kill someone.
Judge Ruff also ordered that Madrigal cannot own a dog for the next five years and will be subject to restitution to be determined at a future time.
"Instead of moving heaven and earth to get these dogs back safely in her yard, she gave up the search and they attacked someone who, in the law, we call an eggshell, who was at heightened risk of dying," Ruff said. When police located Madrigal after the attack, she allegedly told them she kept the dogs in the backyard because she didn't think they were safe to have in the house with her children. Madrigal said she found a hole in the fence after the dogs escaped that day and had been working to fill it.
12/19/23: Owner Charged with Felony
A woman has been criminally charged after the fatal pit bull mauling of Billene "Billi" Cameron on September 21. The Tri-City Herald reports that Sara Amilia Madrigal, 34, of Kennewick, is facing one count of dog attack leading to serious injury or death under the Washington state felony dog attack statute. Madrigal faces up to 5-years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted of the charge. Two years prior to killing Cameron, both of Madrigal's dogs had been legally declared dangerous.
According to the probable cause statement written by Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Tyler Grandgeorge, both pit bulls had been declared "potentially dangerous" (or "dangerous") by Benton County Animal Control after they charged a German shepherd and bit the owner in 2021. The pair of pit bulls, Mando and Macani, originally belonged to Madrigal’s ex-boyfriend, but she kept the dogs after the couple broke up, and he no longer wanted to be responsible for them, reports The Herald.
One month after the 2021 incident, the dogs escaped their property again, and Madrigal had to apply for permits to keep them. This was when Madrigal officially took ownership of the two pit bulls. One year later, the dogs were again identified as "potentially dangerous," according to court documents. Details of the third incident are unknown, but at that time, Madrigal was informed for at least a third time by officials about her responsibility of owning dogs declared "potentially dangerous."
Washington state has a two-tier designation for dangerous dogs, "potentially dangerous" and "dangerous," the latter being more severe. It appears the first three incidents (even combined) did not reach the level required for a "dangerous" declaration. The felony dog attack statute accepts both designations, and no previous designation is necessary if prosecutors can show the dog owner "knew or should have known that the dog was potentially dangerous" as defined in the statute.
(3) The owner of any dog that aggressively attacks and causes severe injury or death of any human, whether or not the dog has previously been declared potentially dangerous or dangerous, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a class C felony punishable in accordance with RCW 9A.20.021 ... In such a prosecution, the state has the burden of showing that the owner of the dog either knew or should have known that the dog was potentially dangerous as defined in this chapter.
09/22/23: Woman Dies After Mauling
Kennewick, WA - A 65-year old woman is dead after being mauled by two pit bulls that entered her home. The attack occurred on Wednesday, September 20, at about 2:00 pm at her residence in the 6600 hundred block of West Victoria Avenue. The Benton County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and arrived in time to pull the dogs off her, reports the Tri-City Herald. She died on September 21 due to complications related to surgery at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richmond.
Audio dispatch log files from Tri-Cities Police and Fire located on Broadcastify.com state one of the dogs was outside while medical responders were en route. The "aggressive dog is still outside the residence," the dispatcher states. The victim's bleeding was not controlled, apparently. "It was mentioned trying to put on a tourniquet," the dispatcher states. "Significant bites to the legs and bleeding," the dispatcher states seconds later. By that point, a deputy was on the scene.
The victim, Billene "Billi" Cameron, and her husband, Dwayne Woodard, own a popular business. They and their son, Jackson, established Woody’s BullPen Bar & Grille, a sports bar on the westside of Kennewick. Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Horacio Gonzalez said the dogs' owner has been identified. The investigation is active, but no arrests have been made. The dogs are being held by Benton County. The victim's daughter, Jordan, announced her mother's death on her Facebook page Thursday.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of my Mom's passing early this morning September 21st. We're raising money for her end of life services. There will be a celebration of life planned. If you can help support in any way, not just monetarily, it would be greatly appreciated!" - Jordan Woodard
Jordan also organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to help pay the costs of her funeral and celebration of life services. "It is with a heavy heart that I bring the news my wonderful, amazing, kind, spunky mother passed away due to complications with a surgery at Kadlec Hospital on the early morning of September 21st." Jordan described her mother as, "Anyone who knows her knows that she was a light in her community and a pillar for those around her." The fund has so far raised over $9,000.
Dog-on-Dog Attack
A cousin of the victim, Vern Lampman Jr., said the attack occurred in her yard -- not inside her residence. As we initially suspected, it appears to have started as a dog-on-dog attack. Lampman states, "She gave her life rescuing her dog from the pit bulls." Under different circumstances, in March, Donald Gibson, 66, died after trying to break up a fight between his two rescue pit bulls in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gibson had previously owned a popular burger joint, Ralph's Hot & Juicy Burgers.
Dog-on-Dog Attack Confirmed
Nearly a week after Cameron's death, Apple Valley News interviewed her daughter, Woodard, who thanked them afterward for telling the "full story with the correct facts." Woodard confirmed that Cameron ran outside to save her dog "Diego" from the pair of pit bulls. One of the pit bulls followed her inside and started attacking Cameron instead. She was rushed to a hospital, where the damage from the attack became more evident than initially thought. A blood clot ultimately stopped her heart.
Diego survived the incident. The case remains under investigation. The post in the Missing Pets Pasco-Kennewick-Richland Washington Facebook Group about one of the pit bulls involved has since been removed. The author of the post states in comments, "The two dogs involved in the incident are with the Benton County, WA Canine Shelter now. There is an ongoing investigation. Owner has been identified. Unfortunately, the lady that was attacked died from complications following surgery."
The Tri-City Herald reports on another Facebook post by Cameron's cousin. Lampman Jr., stated four days ago that Diego suffered serious injuries and internal organ damage, "The pit bull had the pug in his mouth and was shaking it." Cameron was able to get her dog away from the pit bull "and was severely attacked in the process." A neighbor saw the attack unfold and climbed a 6-foot fence to help. Lampman then shared details of the chilling account, of which police released nothing about.
"As of yesterday, Billi's pug was still alive. He has serious puncture wounds and some internal organ damage. The pit bull had the pug in his mouth and was shaking it. Billi managed to get her dog away from the pit bull and was severely attacked in the process. The neighbor behind her property saw what was happening and climbed over the 6' fence, falling in onto Billi's property. He used his cane to beat the pit bull which allowed Billi to escape into her house. The 2nd pit bull followed her into her house and continued the attack. In the meantime, the neighbor found a shovel and ran into the house. He used it to get the dog away from her. She then managed to get into her bathroom, closed the door, and called 911." - Vern Lampman Jr., September 24, 2023
One of the dogs involved in the fatal attack was pictured on the Missing Pets Pasco-Kennewick-Richland Washington Facebook group page on September 21, 2023.
A relative of the victim states the attack began as she tried to rescue her own dog.
The attack occurred at a residence in the 6600 block of West Victoria Avenue in Kennewick.
View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Washington Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.Related articles:
03/24/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Man, 66, Killed by Rescue Pit Bull After Trying to Break up a Fight
03/11/21: Peer-Reviewed Study Examines Dog-on-Dog Attacks in the UK by Analyzing Media Articles
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.
If there are no charges filed then the city of Kennewick doesn’t care about the lives of its residents. As an owner of a popular business, Billi was a prominent member of her community and this case will receive attention, at least locally. The owner of those dogs will be a public example of what happens when your dog attacks someone. What kind of example will it be? I hope it won’t be another case of getting away with murder, as so many of these are.
We live down the street from where this attack occurred. I’m curious to know where the dogs came from as their are two dogs (one looks like a pit bull to me) that run loose each and every day even though the owners have been asked to please keep their dogs secure in their own yard. The local animal shelters are aware of these two dogs behavior as is the police and Sheriff’s offices. Both have warned the owners as well. The larger dog tried to bite my grandson one day on his way home from school and ever since that happened he looks to see if the dogs are loose when he gets off the bus. He will walk one street over even when it’s an extra fifteen minutes to get home. If these are the same dogs, then the owners should be criminally charged and certainly should be held legally liable as this is not a “one off”. These two dogs have been an ongoing neighborhood problem and the owners, the authorities, and certainly the neighbors ALL have been aware. It was just a matter of time before a tragedy like this happened. What a damn shame.
Animal Control should be held accountable too. They knew and did nothing.
Hi Keith. I agree that there should be criminal charges against the owner of the dogs that killed the woman. But there should also be charges against whatever dog that torments your grandson. This is unacceptable in civil society that children have to be afraid of pit bulls going to school.
Keith, I am her neice and I have been wondering that ever since it happened thank you for your post
Yes, I would like to see the outcome of this.
Another senior deprived of their twilight years by pitbulls. My condolences to her family and friends for losing their cherished loved one in such a horrific manner
It’s open season on children and the elderly.
Any society that refuses to protect vulnerable groups is a failed society.
I don’t understand why the family is down playing the dog attack. Without that there would not have been surgery.
Maybe a relative lives next door and owns the dogs? The cousin who was not present, disregarding police info claiming the attack happened outside is weird.
I noticed that, too. This is very common, especially when family who owned the killer that killed their child. The GoFundMe or obit often makes no mention of how the child died. Anyone reading this new one, would believe Cameron simply died from surgical complications.
I thought the same thing. Even if the immediate cause of death was directly related to the surgery (say allergic reaction to the anesthesia), the reality is she was killed by the dog, since everything after that happened only because of the dog attack.
This is why even in my fenced yard I have a weapon on me. You never know when some idiots pit bull is running loose, half the time they don’t know either.
I disregard the cousins account, as the cousin was obviously not present. Hopefully not a nutter. The police know this occurred in the home, probably by blood, an broken slider screen, or doggie door. There was a pit bull that entered a window before in a town not far from me.
The pitbull is the only common invasive breed of dog. They are totally comfortable attacking and killing their owners at home, entering doggy doors or open windows
to attack people and their pets,
and killing other dogs in the pit.
Yes, this is a bizarre phenomenon that a dog would enter a stranger’s home to attack the humans or their pets. It used to be the school of thought when I was a kid that if a dog came after you, you just walked up the steps of the nearest house as if you lived there and the dog would leave you alone. Even the stupidest dog knows the limits of his “territory.” Apparently pit bulls have not evolved to this level. Their behavior has no rationale other than DUMB brute prey drive. Why anyone would WANT to own this breed as a pet is beyond me.
Hi Cindy, my name is Rick and I live in an apartment in Chicago IL. I agree 100% about why anyone would own a Pitt Bull dog!
On May 28th this year, I was attacked by 2 Pitt Bull dogs while just walking to my apartment after arriving home getting out of my car at 11pm. They mauled my face and left arm, but I just managed to survive.
I got an attorney to do a lawsuit, but because the dog owner was a renter with no assets and no insurance on the dogs, and it was the first time those dogs had attacked anyone, I got nothing other than being marred for life, and over 4 months now spent in a hospital, several surgeries, unable to work at this time, and no family at all for support. I’m a 66 year old man.
God Bless,
Rick
I am so sorry this happened to you Rick. As a senior, your life should be just trying to manage your health and finances, enjoying what you can of you family/friends/hobbies and maybe, if it’s your style, walking around with an affectionate beagle making friends.
This is one of my truly hate peeves with this breed. The frequency with which they maul and kill vulnerable seniors and children. They are an apex predator so any human that is at less than optimal health is a prime target for them.
The sooner we see them for what they are, the sooner we will BSL them with a future eye to removing them completely from human social circles.
Rick. Sorry to hear that you were mauled. You should sue the apartment landlord. Also find out if the dog came from a shelter and sue the city or county that funds the shelter. Many big payouts by city and county funded shelters.
Normal dog communication skills and respect for the space and rights of others was intentionally bred out of the “kill or die trying” fighting dogs.
These mutations are essential to have dogs that will attack unprovoked and fight to the death for no external reason, for mutant instinct alone.
Some people insist that their Bloodsport dogs are super cuddly and snugly, but that is just a symptom of their total lack of respect for others.
The UK XL Bully story is so compelling. While the bully folks had a big rally promoting their loveable lugs, a man was viciously attacked by an XL in a nearby park. The coward who owned it fled. On another note, this recent article about the dog walker who was found dead is fascinating. The British press really does a great job covering these attacks. After a thorough investigation, they have determined that this dogwalker’s own XL bully killed her. The dog had already attacked her twice before the final death knell.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12524419/amp/How-dog-walker-savaged-death-Surrey-beauty-spot-pounced-giant-pit-bull-rescued-weeks-DAVID-JONES-reveals.html?fbclid=IwAR1n-vX-mLACeptYJ3jVU35U8P0PU-To5GCizW82JSzLOWzT4aUWfglM9QE
This pitbull is weird. He killed his owner/dog walker, but he didn’t attack the other dogs.
Wow. I couldn’t access that link but I looked at the Facebook group and saw pictures of a pair of starving pitbulls on the loose, an aggressive dog standing outside a broken fence, and comments explaining how Animal Control won’t come pick them up because they don’t have any room at the shelter.
It sounds like the result of a misguided “no kill” policy, to me. If so, then that malfunctioning city department helped set up the conditions for Billi’s horrific death to happen.
“Sad outcome for everyone, including the dogs”?!?! Good grief. They killed a woman. They took a human life! Who cares about the dogs?! The only dog I feel any sympathy for is the pet she was trying to save from the vicious pits, but even that pales in comparison to the human life that was savagely taken. These people are insane. It blows my mind how far the culture of dog worship has gone.
Yay! I hope the dog owner gets the max!
Every large dog owner should realize their dogs are potentially dangerous.
Small dogs can hurt or kill children if given the chance.
Granted most breeds of dogs don’t kill that often.
It isn’t that they can’t.
For the most part they choose not to.
Then there are pits, rotts and the other assorted power breeds.
Personally I think they cross the line into dangerous not potentially dangerous.
Before you can buy a dog you should be forced to to review attack stats.
That way you can’t claim “I had no idea anyone could get hurt if my dog got out!!”
Normal dog communication skills and respect for the space and rights of others was intentionally bred out of the “kill or die trying” fighting dogs.
These mutations are essential to have dogs that will attack unprovoked and fight to the death for no external reason, for mutant instinct alone.
Some people insist that their Bloodsport dogs are super cuddly and snugly, but that is just a symptom of their total lack of respect for others.
That was a decent article by the Tri-City Herald about the sentencing.
The judge said she viewed the case as similar to drunk driving: no one leaves the bar wanting to get in a wreck and hurt anyone, but they take that risk. Makes sense to me.