Posted on July 11, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Kills Owner in Uniontown; Girlfriend Said Dog was Victim's 'Best Friend'

Homer Utterback, 52, died after his own dog brutally attacked him in Uniontown.

Dog Kills Owner
Uniontown, PA - A man is dead after his own dog brutally attacked him. Police identified the man as 52-year old Homer Utterback. Just before 1:00 am Thursday, Utterback's girlfriend heard something fall, police said. She got up to see what the noise was and found Utterback on the floor with the dog biting his neck. Police said by the time EMS arrived, Utterback was dead. Utterback's girlfriend told officers the dog was their pet for a decade and was Utterback's "best friend."

Broadcastify.com captures the Fayette County Fire and EMS feed. The attacking dog is basically identified as a pit bull on the feed. "Male, 50s, unresponsive and not breathing. He had a seizure and then his dog attacked him. Male's bleeding from the head. This is going to be a pit bull," states a man to the dispatcher. When the dispatcher calls EMS to the location, she states, "Patient had a seizure. As he was doing so, a pit bull attacked him. He has a hole in his head and his neck."

The brief WXPI article did not contain any dog breed information, nor did it need to. There have been a number of owner-directed fatal attacks inflicted by pit bulls in response to their owner suffering a seizure over the years -- as recently as last year. Of the 500 dog bite fatalities we have recorded since 2005, pit bulls have been implicated in every owner-directed fatal attack while the victim was actually, or purportedly, having a seizure, except for one case involving a rottweiler.

Owners killed by a pit bull during an alleged seizure include: Della Riley, 42-years old (Cleveland, Ohio, 2018); Jamie Owsley, 21-years old (Quincy, Illinois, 2017); Charles Hagerman, 44-years old (Chicago, Illinois, 2012); Tonia Parks, 39-years old (Rockford, Illinois, 2011); Kelli Chapman, 24-years old (Longville, Louisiana, 2008); Brandon Coleman, 25-years old (Morgantown, West Virginia, 2006); Lorinze Reddings, 42-years old (St. Louis, Missouri, 2005) and likely others.

Evening Updates

While we were trying to locate the victim's girlfriend on Facebook to capture images of the dog involved in the fatal attack of Homer Utterback, it appears WPXI was doing the same thing. We were able to confirm that a white pit bull named Petey -- AKA My Petey Pie -- seen on Wendy Baker's Facebook page, the victim's girlfriend, is the culprit. According to Facebook comments by Baker's daughter, the pit bull was a "rescue" and had "never attacked anybody until last night."

There were at least four other pit bulls in the home, all offspring of Petey, according to Baker's Facebook page. The dispatch audio feed also reflects a multi-dog household. "The dogs are on scene, but are locked in a separate room," the dispatcher relayed to en route EMS. When EMS arrived, Utterback was already dead. "There's a large laceration to the head and neck area. Nonresponsive," EMS states. It's unknown if the family will keep the "pack" of younger pit bulls.

2013 photos: A male rescue pit bull, named Petey, attacked and killed Homer Utterback.

2018 photo: The Utterback home had at least four more pit bulls, all offspring of Petey.

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

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 July 9, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Sleeping Infant Killed by Family Husky in Hall County, Georgia

Home where a sleeping infant was killed by a family dog in Hall County, Georgia.

Dog Believed to be Attacker
UPDATE 07/13/19: We have located photographs of the 2-year old husky that bit a 22-day old baby on the head an undetermined number of times, killing the infant. A pair of littermate puppies (twin in appearance) arrived at the family's home in January 2017. We already know that the pure white husky was not confiscated by police nor was one of the black-and-white littermates. So, the attacker is presumably the other littermate. The huskies belong to a woman living at the home.

Notably, the woman refers to the black-and-white huskies as "My Wolves." We presume this is a referral to the Game of Thrones TV series, which heavily featured "Direwolves" and caused an explosion of huskies being bred and sold. Much has been written about this explosion, as recently as May 2019. Abandoned huskies are now showing up en mass at shelters across the US and UK. As early as 2017, the star of Game of Thrones urged the public to stop buying huskies.

We have also removed the term "mix" from the breed. The "mix" term is frequently appended by shelter employees to all dogs entering the facility even when the dog appears to be purebred.

The twin, 2-year old husky littermates (male and female), and one has a different eye color.

07/10/19: Police Identify Infant
Sheriff's deputies in Hall County have released the identity of an infant fatally mauled by a family husky Tuesday in Gainesville. The attack occurred at about 2:00 pm at home in the 2900 block of Gillsville Highway. Ruth Flores, just 22-days old, was severely bitten in the head by one of her family's huskies. She was immediately taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where she later died. The infant was sleeping in a bedroom when the 2-year old husky attacked her.

Earlier today, CBS 46 posted footage of a reporter trying to speak to a person inside the infant's home. One can see three additional dogs in the front window of the home -- two huskies and a white dog with wavy hair. Deputies said when they arrived at the scene, they found the baby with serious trauma to her head. The dog bit the baby an "undetermined number of times," deputies said. The attacking dog continues to be held in quarantine at Hall County Animal Services.

07/09/19: Infant Killed by Family Dog
Gainesville, GA - An infant has died after being attacked and seriously injured by a dog, Hall County Fire Services confirmed. Firefighters responded to a home in the 2900 block of Gillsville Highway after a report of a dog bite to a 22-day old infant girl. "The incident occurred inside the home, in a bedroom where the infant was resting, according to initial information gathered by deputies on the scene," Hall County Sheriff’s Office 1st Lt. Chris Dale stated in a news release.

The baby girl was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Hall County Fire Services Capt. Zach Brackett said. The infant died of her injuries at the hospital. Hall County Animal Control and Enforcement took custody of the animal, which belonged to the residents of the home, the Gainesville Times reports. Officials said the family dog involved is a husky-mix. The name of the baby girl has not been released. The City of Gainesville is about 40 miles northwest of Athens.

CBS 46 News reports the deadly attack occurred about 2:00 pm. The infant's mother was home when the family's 2-year old husky-mix bit the child on the head. CBS 46 also spoke to Hall County Sheriff’s Office 1st Lt. Chris Dale, who said there were "other dogs in crates" at the family's home on Gillsville Highway. No other children were in the home at the time of the attack, Dale said. Further comments by officials are currently being withheld due to HIPAA restrictions.

Breed-Specific Traits

In our multi-year report of dog bite fatalities -- U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities: Breeds of Dogs Involved, Age Groups and Other Factors Over a 13-Year Period (2005 to 2017) -- we pointed out a breed-specific trait pertaining to huskies. "Of the 13 fatal attacks inflicted by huskies, 62% (8 of 13) were infants ≤11 months old and 92% (12) were ages ≤5 years old. The single adult death, a 22-year old female victim, was a multi-breed attack involving a female husky and a male pit bull."

Our statement was also footnoted with the following: "In comparison with the other top-six killing dog breeds, only 15% (3 of 20) of German shepherd victims were infants ≤11 months old, 13% (6 of 45) of rottweiler victims, 10% (28 of 284) of pit bull victims, 7% (1 of 15) of American bulldog victims, 0% of mixed-breed victims, and 0% of mastiff/bullmastiff victims were infants." Very often in the cases of husky-inflicted infant deaths, the baby is sleeping when the dog attacks too.

CBS 46 footage shows two additional huskies in the home the day after the fatal mauling.

A sleeping infant was killed by a family dog described as a husky-mix in Gainesville, Georgia.

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Found Dead, Believed to be Killed by a Pack of Dogs in the Highway Park Community

Melvin Olds Jr., 45, was discovered dead after being mauled by a pack of dogs.

Preliminary Autopsy
UPDATE 07/05/19: The preliminary cause of death for Melvin Olds Jr., 45, is injuries suffered during a dog attack. More than 100 dog bites were found on his body. Independent investigations by the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, the District 10 Medical Examiner and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) led to this determination. Olds was found in a wooded area behind a home on Cochran Drive in Highway Park shortly before noon on July 4.

Six dogs have been captured after setting up traps and patrolling the area. "Their bite size matches with the wounds on Olds’ body, but that alone is not enough to say for sure that they were the animals involved," states a release from the sheriff's office. DNA from the dogs will also be collected to see if it matches DNA on the wounds. Sheriff Paul Blackman cautions residents to be watchful for loose dogs, as it will take time to determined if they captured the right dogs.

WFLA spoke with the victim's family members. They said Olds took a shortcut through a wooded path and never came back that day. Olds was a father of five and a grandfather. His fiancé, Jannell Ward, said she had seen a pack of dogs lingering in the neighborhood. They had caused problems in the past too, including killing her chihuahua at some point. WFLA reports the six dogs are reportedly strays and pit bull-mixes. Deputies are working to confirm ownership of the dogs.

Please help Melvin's family by donating to his GoFundMe campaign for funeral costs.

07/04/19: Man Found Dead
Lake Placid, FL - Shortly before noon on the Fourth of July, a man was found dead in a wooded area behind a home in the southeastern portion of Highway Park. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 45-year old Melvin Olds Jr. "The investigation has revealed injuries indicative of an animal attack," states the release from the sheriff's office. The medical examiner responded to the scene and could find "no other injuries other than those inflicted by the animals."

A pack of dogs was seen in the area shortly after his body was discovered, states the release. Authorities believe this pack of dogs killed the man. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause of death. Highlands County Animal Services and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are setting up traps to capture the roaming dogs. The number of dogs in the pack was not released by officials, nor was the block location of the deadly attack.

Highlands County Sheriff's Office - (July 4, 2019) The Highlands County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious death in Lake Placid.

Shortly before noon today, dispatch was notified about a man who appeared to be deceased in a wooded area behind a residence is the southeastern portion of the Highway Park area. The man has been identified as 45-year-old Melvin Olds Jr.

The investigation has revealed injuries indicative of an animal attack, believed to be from a pack of dogs. The medical examiner responded to the scene and could find no injuries other than those inflicted by the animals, but an autopsy will be needed to determine an official cause of death.

A pack of dogs was seen in the area shortly after the body was discovered. Animal Services as well FWC units are in the area setting traps. If any one in the area sees a pack of dogs or any dog that is aggressive, please call 863-402-7200.

In addition to WFLA reporting the attacking dogs were pit bull-mixes, a commenter on the July 5 Highlands County Sheriff's Office Facebook post, who is also a pit bull owner, states the same thing. Jessica Perkinson-Davise of Lake Placid states, "They we're pits. I saw ALL of them the day before. But I also have a pit that is the most gentle dog in the world!!!" Jessica also states in this July 5 thread, "I saw the dogs that did this. They attacked 2 other men the day before."

Comments from a pit bull owner on the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Facebook post.

The unincorporated community of Highway Park is just south of the town of Lake Placid.

Posted on June 30, 2019 by DogsBite Staff

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Killed by Dogs in Western Kentucky, Three Pit Bulls Suspected

Brian Butler, 46-years old, was killed in a dog attack; police suspect three pit bulls.

Owner Arrested
UPDATE 07/03/19: On Wednesday, police arrested Daniel Kai Alexander, 29-years old, of Gilbertsville, KY on a felony arrest warrant in connection to dog mauling death of Brian Butler. Alexander is one of the owners of the three pit bulls in custody that were seized after his death. Evidence shows that Alexander "tampered with physical evidence at the scene" on June 29, 2019. Alexander also had knowledge of Butler's body on McCoy Lane but did not contact authorities.

Alexander was charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class D Felony, as well as Duty of Person, Hospital, or Institution Finding or Possessing Dead Body, a Class B Misdemeanor. At this time, Kentucky State Police are confident that the three pit bulls in custody belonging to Alexander were the only dogs responsible in Butler's mauling death. Police, however, are still urging the community of Gilbertsville to exercise caution toward any roaming dogs in the area.

Daniel Kai Alexander goes by "Kai Alexander" on Facebook. His girlfriend, Tonya Speece, has photographs of three pit bulls on her Facebook page. A male pit bull, named Chevy, escaped the couple's property back in January and was found wandering on the side of I-24 East.

Daniel Kai Alexander, 29, was arrested after his three pit bulls killed Brian Butler in Gilbertsville.

Daniel's girlfriend has three pit bulls on her Facebook page. "Chevy," (on left) escaped in January.

07/01/19: Sister of Victim Speaks Out
On June 29, Brian "Scott" Butler was discovered dead off of Gilbertsville Highway near McCoy Lane. The Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiners Office determined the cause of death was "sharp force trauma from a dog attack." State troopers initially seized two pit bulls suspected in the attack. Butler’s sister, Cheryl Roberts, spoke to WPSD and said that she wants answers about his death. “This is a horrendous crime right here, and I want answers," Roberts said.

Police spray painted an orange outline around where Butler was found dead. Roberts said her brother was down on his luck and homeless at the time. He often slept on couches in the neighborhood where he was found, Roberts said. Nora and Randy Nichols, who live one street over, said they might have been the last to see Butler alive. They saw him walking down the road before the attack. The Nichols were so concerned about loose dogs that they installed a fence.

On Monday, police seized a third dog from a home just a few hundred feet away from where Butler's body was found. The canine was taken as part of the investigation, but police do not believe it was involved in the deadly attack. Kentucky State Police Trooper Bryan Luckett said Butler suffered severe facial injuries and had puncture wounds. Roberts, however, questions whether dogs were involved in his death. "He slept with them dogs," Roberts said in disbelief.

Kentucky State Police will likely do DNA testing on the two impounded pit bulls to determine if they were involved in the gruesome attack. So far, no witnesses of the fatal dog mauling are known.

06/30/19: Police News Release
Gilbertsville, KY - Detectives with the Kentucky State Police (KSP) are investigating the death of a man found in Western Kentucky on Saturday night. The victim has been identified as Brian S. Butler, 46-years old, of Benton, Kentucky. Police were notified just after 8:00 pm on June 29 that a passerby discovered a body laying near a local roadway in Gilbertsville. An autopsy, scheduled for Sunday, June 30, will determine his cause of death. The investigation is active and ongoing.

Two pit bulls were found near his body and seized by authorities. Police say additional dogs may be involved and advised residents to be cautious of any loose dogs in the area. Butler's death marks the third fatal pit bull attack in Kentucky this year, including the February death of 1-year old Ashton McGhee in Guthrie and the May death of 2-year old Isaiah Geiling in Louisville. Both children were killed by family pit bulls. In 2018, two people were killed by pit bulls in Kentucky.

KSP Investigating Death of Marshall County Man

Gilbertsville, KY (June 29, 2019) – Detectives with the Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of a Marshall County man after he was found dead in the Gilbertsville community on Saturday night. KSP was notified just after 8:00 PM on June 29th after a passerby discovered the body laying near a local roadway. Detectives identified the deceased as 46-year-old, Brian Butler of Benton. An autopsy has been requested to assist investigators in determining what may have caused the death of Butler. Anyone who may have spoken with Brian Butler over the past several days are asked to contact Kentucky State Police, Post 1 at 270-856-3721. The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released following the autopsy which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 30th.

Preliminary Autopsy Results

On Sunday, June 30, an autopsy was conducted on Brian Butler of Benton. The preliminary diagnoses indicates that the cause of death was sharp force trauma from a dog attack, states a news release by the Kentucky State Police. Two pit bulls suspected in his death were seized and are being held in quarantine by Marshall County Animal Control. Police believe "additional dog(s) may be involved in the attack that resulted in Mr. Butler's death," states the KSP news release.

KSP Investigating Death of Marshall County Man

Preliminary diagnoses indicated that the manner of death was sharp force trauma from a dog attack.

(June 30, 2019) – On Sunday June 30 th, 2019 an autopsy was performed on Brian S. Butler of Benton, KY at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiners Office in Madisonville, KY. Preliminary diagnoses indicated that the manner of death was sharp force trauma from a dog attack.

On Saturday June 29th, 2019 two pit bulls were located in the area where Mr. Butler was located. These two dogs have been quarantined by Marshall County Animal Control until further information can be gathered. The Kentucky State Police are urging the public in the Gilbertsville, KY community to be cautious of any loose dogs in the area. It is possible that additional dog(s) may be involved in the attack that resulted in Mr. Butlers death.