Nicolas Vasquez died after suffering multiple amputations due to a severe dog attack.
Owner Charged
UPDATE 06/28/22: The owner of three dogs involved in a brutal attack that killed a man has been charged under the Texas felony dog attack statute. Matthew Leroy Satchell, 32, has been charged with felony dog attack after his three loose dogs, all pit bull-mixes, attacked 51-year old Nicolas Vasquez. A neighbor found Vasquez in a ditch on June 9, severely injured and moaning after trying to fight off the dogs. Vasquez underwent multiple limb amputations before dying on June 19.
Residents said the dogs had a history of roaming at large and being aggressive. "The message is that you are responsible for the conduct of your dogs if you are not properly restraining them," said Lindsey Bondurant, Chief Prosecutor of the Animal Cruelty Section at the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "So, if your dog attacks someone in the severe manner like we have here, you're held responsible, if there's something you could have done to prevent this," Bondurant said.
Charging Documents
Charging documents include statements by neighbors about previous acts of aggression by Satchell's dogs while at large towards humans and dogs. Satchell also positively identified his dogs as "Brownie," "Oreo" and "Donut" when shown photographs of the dogs. Satchell told deputies, his dogs "are not aggressive unless a person comes into his yard." Deputies reviewed surveillance video provided by Satchell that did not show anyone entering his yard, "however, you can hear what appears to be a male screaming for help on the video," state court documents.
Deputies located a hole under the perimeter of Satchell's fence. The "bottom footer of the fence had a dried red substance," which deputies believed to be blood. "The hole under the fence had woodsticks and a branch trying to cover it from being used by the dogs," state court documents. "The sticks and a branch were clearly insufficient to prevent animals from entering or exiting the fence." Two photographs of the hole in the fence were attached to the affidavit as exhibits.
Multiple neighbors told deputies the dogs were routinely outside of the owner's fence. One neighbor stated that on May 28, 2022 the three dogs escaped the property and attacked her dog in the neck while her two children, 15 and 12, were walking their dog. Another neighbor said her son was chased by the dogs while riding his bike several times. A third neighbor said she had to use her vehicle to get between the three dogs and a man they were chasing on May 15, 2022.
Multiple neighbors also spoke to the owner about the dogs being at large prior to the June 9 attack. Both said the owner, Matthew Satchell, "did not seem to care about the dogs being out chasing people" or seem to care about their complaints. Detectives also spoke to the U.S. Postal carrier who delivers to Satchell's home. "She advised she never delivers packages to the door at 1405 Harvard Road because the dogs are always outside the fence," state court documents.
Civil Lawsuit Filed
Harris County court records also show that the estate of Vasquez filed a civil claim against Matthew Satchell and Tabatha Satchell after the vicious attack. "At all times relative hereto, Defendants were the owner of a certain animals, to wit: three large pit bulls," states the amended Complaint, filed two days after his death. The causes of action include negligence and wrongful death. The plaintiff seeks general and special damages of over $200,000 but under $1 million.
8. At all times relative hereto, Defendants were the owner of a certain animals, to wit: three large Pitbulls.
9. On or about June 9, 2022, Plaintiff was walking home from the grocery store when Defendants’ dogs ran out of Defendants’ home and charged Plaintiff at full speed. Defendants’ dogs violently lunged toward Plaintiff, causing serious injuries to his person.
10. Plaintiff was left in a ditch outside of Defendants’ residence after he was mauled by their dogs and has since been incapacitated. - Vasquez v. Satchell No. 2022-36564
06/22/22: Man Dies of Mauling Injuries
Huffman, TX - A man died Sunday after being attacked by three loose dogs on June 9 in northeastern Harris County. Before his death, doctors were forced to amputate both of his lower legs. Calvin Stoy, a neighbor, heard dogs barking and the moans of a man just after 9:00 pm. Stoy found Nicolas Vasquez, 51, lying in a ditch off Havard Road. "Both legs were torn up bad, hands and arms. He had bites on his head. He was in really bad shape. He lost a lot of blood," Stoy said.
A GoFundMe was established for Vasquez, who was known by friends as "Mickey." On the night of June 9, "Mickey was brutally attacked and almost eaten alive by 3 aggressive dogs as he was on his way home from the neighborhood corner store as he’s done for years," states the fund's organizer. "As a result of this dog attack he’s lost both of his legs, currently on life support fighting for his life in the ICU, waiting for a liver transplant due to organ failure," states the fundraiser.
A June 21 update indicated that Mickey had passed away. According to his sister-in-law, Maria Castillo, this was the second time the same dogs attacked Vasquez this month. Harris County Animal Control seized all three dogs. The Harris County Sheriff's Office reported they found a hole in the owner's fence and the dogs had blood on them. Four days later, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez asked the public for help with the investigation of Nicolas Vasquez's vicious dog attack in a Tweet.
@HCSOTexas needs your help with the investigation of a dog attack of Nicolas Vasquez. Mr. Vasquez was attacked by three dogs on Thursday June 9, 2022 and is in critical condition. The attack occurred at the intersection of Havard Road and Knoll Lane in Huffman. 1/2. If you or anyone you know has had any interaction with the dogs or the dog owners please contact Deputy Turner with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Unit. 2/2 - Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, June 13, 2022
A person on the Huffman-Talk Facebook group announced his death on June 19. Kelly Vasquez, the victim's niece, told KRIV that by the time Stoy found her uncle lying in the ditch, "[the dogs] pretty much were eating him at that point." Vasquez suffered bite injuries all over his body. After both lower legs were amputated, doctors had to amputate one of his arms too, she said. "His body couldn’t take it anymore," she said. Kelly's mother, Castillo, hopes for "justice from the law."
By June 20, news reports indicated that one dog belonged to one neighbor and the other two dogs belonged to a different neighbor. It was the latter pair of dogs that had bitten Vasquez on the ankle less than two months earlier. Stoy and Kelly said the dogs had a history of chasing people and being aggressive. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that investigators will meet with the Harris County District Attorney's Office to determine if any of the dogs' owners will be charged.
By June 21, one of the dogs began being identified as a Labrador-mix. Despite neighbors saying these dogs had been an ongoing problem, Harris County officials said they had no previous reports on the dogs. In 2020, Veterinary World published a study of risk factors for dog bites in unincorporated Harris County, which includes Huffman. Pit bulls had the greatest frequency of bites (25.07%), and the greatest frequency of severe injuries (49.57%), the study found.
There were 6683 dog bites reported to HCVPH between the years of 2013 and 2016, with stable incidence rates over time. The incidence was highest for both children and older adults. Dogs with the primary breed of Pit Bull had the greatest frequency of bites (25.07%), with the second highest breed being Labrador Retrievers (13.72%)...
Dog sex, dog breed, and confinement status were all found to be significant predictors of severe injury in the multivariate logistic model ... Pit Bulls had the greatest frequency of severe injuries (49.57%), followed by Labrador Retrievers (12.92%) and German Shepherds (7.69%). The odds of a severe injury by a Pit Bull is 213% higher than the odds for dogs of all other breeds (excluding German Shepherd and Labrador Retriever)....
Two of the dogs involved in the death of Nicolas Vasquez in unincorporated Harris County.
The third dog involved in the death of Nicolas Vasquez in unincorporated Harris County.
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View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Texas Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.Related articles:
03/22/22: 2022 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Boy Killed, Relative Injured in Dog Attack in Baytown
11/23/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Houston Police Suspect Woman, 48, Killed by Own Dogs
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.
The way mickey died was unfathomable.I can’t imagine the pain he felt being bitten by evil pitbull and stop with the pitbull mix labeling .I’m no dog expert but it look like full pitbull to me anyway pitbull terrier American bully American staffordshire terrier are all consider pitbull I’m not really sure.
Labrador mix, my foot! All three dogs are pit bulls.
Condolences to Mr. Vazquez’ family for their loss.
Relieved to see some honesty in the media about pitbull victims being “eaten alive.” Included on YT as his female relatives discussed his death:
Watch “Man dies after being mauled by dogs in Huffman” on YouTube
https://youtu.be/kKxRY0sqobA
Even Newsweek gave the story title some honesty:
Texas Man Dies a Week After Dogs Mauled and Started Eating Him Alive
I didn’t see what happened to the dogs – were they destroyed?
Where they’re being fed and sheltered at taxpayer expense.
Too bad that. In my opinion a pitbull that has viciously attacked a human and eaten them alive should be immediately euthanized not only for the safety of any shelter personnel but for the safety of the the community as a whole. There shouldn’t be any doubts that a monster like that wouldn’t attack again for no reason – so why give it the possibility to do so.
This was horrible.
Many if not most pitbulls have white markings. White markings are usually.caused by a pair of recessive white spotting genes. Too many people appear to be labelling solid colored pitbulls and pitbull mixed breed dogs as labs or lab mixes due to the absence of white markings. Does anyone have any feedback on this.
Why do the police and media allow pit bull owners to claim their dogs are any other breed to which the mauler(s) has minimal to now resemblance? Why is this accepted as true? I supposed these dogs are trans labs.
In my opinion the black and white is a highly imbred pit bull, the brown and white may be pit x GSP and the one with the crazy eyes is mostly pit diluted with who knows what and also may be highly imbred to give it such a weird look.
Without DNA results, It could be tough to prove pitbull bloodlines. And I’m not sure of the accuracy of DNA results as to breed. DNA could certainly verify the actual parents of a dog.
Years ago my tenants owned a purebred GSD that looked like a wolf hybrid. His sire was a ukc white Champion GSD and his dam was a red sable GSD.
Looks can be deceiving..
In addition, one cannot tell inbreeding by looks. The dog’s looks are not altered by inbreeding. The genes come from both parents. Inbreeding does not invent genes. Inbreeding doubles on both good and bad genes.
I have a gorgeous cat in my house that is out of mother x son breeding. His temperament is also great.
Wouldn’t it be great if temperament was predictable from inbreeding and outcrossing. It simply is not. No one can correctly identify an inbred dog by its looks. In fact, wildlife in any given area may be highly inbred.
If people kept their dogs at home, strangers wouldn’t be murdered by dogs. Family dogs would kill only family members.
According to the ukc standard, American pitbull terriers come in all colors and patterns except merle. In other words, all three of the dogs pictured could be pit bull terriers. Color does not matter.
Form follows function in dog breeds. If it looks like a pit bull with a block head, muscular neck and shoulders, gaping maw, and small, wide set eyes it most likely IS a pit bull.
What a horrifying way to die. My utter condolences to Nicolas Vasquez’s loved ones.
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“Despite neighbors saying these dogs had been an ongoing problem, Harris County officials said they had no previous reports on the dogs.”
Considering the county could get sued if this is proven true that the neighbours complained…preponderance of evidence and all that as to who is lying, here.
Euth the dogs, charge the owners with negligent homicide and have the neighbours testify and show their video footage, presuming they have some, as everyone and their cat now has surveillance cameras and cell phones.
People doing decades in prison for owning a bit of cannabis but not for people who buy furry murder machines then stand around stunned when the murder machines do what murder machines were bred to do?
If it’s the breed, make them extinct. If it’s the owner–jail them as soon as the dog puts a whisker out of place. Pick a lane and stick to it, pitbull lovers.
To illustrate Colleen’s data on Harris County, TX dangerous dogs, here is a Sept 2021 pitbull mauling in Harris County. The narrator, a former sheriff’s deputy, says the victim was unrecognizable. The narrator shot one dog when the pitbulls were relentless in returning to the victim. The other pitbull bit an Animal Control officer.
Looks like Harris County Animal Control could use a proactive campaign to get citizens to report their bites and report roving packs.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/owners-of-dogs-who-attacked-elderly-man-in-harris-co-may-face-charges
Yes everyone needs to report but then expect to be treated badly by whichever agency responds because there is 95 percent chance they are pit lovers. Nothing will be done. Then comes the next issue of now having to not only watch out for the pit bull still in your neighborhood but also the crazy owner who is now out to get you. I have reported and now another crazy pit owner found out about the one I reported and she is being a problem. Luckily way at top of street and I only drive by, never walk
Yikes! I’m surprised your identity did not get redacted from your complaint report. I think Animal Control is under the jurisdiction of the county executive. Hoping you stay safe.
Euthanasia is pending.
I’m so glad the owners were charged with a felony. I hope the penalty is substantial. Maybe some pitbull owners will get the message.t
I hope the Vasquez family gets some measure of justice for their loved one.
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For those who like / used to like to bike, here’s some good safety tips on staying safe while loose dogs run at us. Aaron Smith said the attack compilation is only about 1% of his ride. He takes viewers along on quite a few rides on unpaved county roads at his channel.
Watch “DOG ATTACK 101 for Cyclists: 3rd Edition w/Aaron Smith/Gainesville, TX/Cooke County, Texas/Amputee” on YouTube
https://youtu.be/FYGtOh6OFJ8
Too bad that. In my opinion a pitbull that has viciously attacked a human and eaten them alive should be immediately euthanized not only for the safety of any shelter personnel but for the safety of the the community as a whole. There shouldn’t be any doubts that a monster like that wouldn’t attack again for no reason – so why give it the possibility to do so.
Let me clarify here:
If you get mauled to shreds because you looked its direction…it’s a pitbull.
If you get nibbled because you didn’t throw the tennis ball fast enough…It’s a Labrador
This has been your public service announcement for today. Please remember to tip your waiter on the way out.
Thank you.
Careless jerk dog owners need to be made an example of, routinely. He should get 10 years hard time and banned from dog ownership for life.