Posted on August 12, 2016 by Colleen Lynn

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Homeless Man Killed by Pit Bull-Mixes Owned by Honolulu Business

A cross marks where Crisencio Aliado, 52, was killed by two pit bull-mixes.

Dogs Returned to Owners
UPDATE 08/12/16: It was announced this week that Honolulu authorities released the two pit bull-mixes that killed a homeless man back to their owners. On July 29, the two pit bulls escaped the fencing from the dog owners' business, ContainerLand, and fatally attacked 52-year old Crisencio Aliado who was washing his clothes in a nearby stream. Police are apparently waiting on a formal report from the medical examiner's office before taking any further action.

"Normal" dog owners would have relinquished the dogs to authorities to be euthanized after a fatal attack. An antisocial dog owner would not.

There appears to be no state or local statute that allows police to impound and euthanize a dog that kills a person when a case lacks evidence supporting criminal charges. So in Honolulu, when a dog escapes its owner's property and kills a person on public property, no criminal charges apply unless the dog was previously declared dangerous. That is not uncommon in other states, but lacking the authority to impound and euthanize a dog that kills a person is uncommon.

All that local law requires in this case is for the ContainerLand owners to keep their two pit bull-mixes "secure" at their home. The public's safety is entrusted to the very same delinquent dog owners who failed to keep their animals secure at their business and the result was the violent mauling death of an innocent man. City Councilman Joey Manahan and Honolulu attorney Richard Turbin, who has represented dog attack victims in the past, both expressed alarm to KITV.

"That is a frightening prospect, when you have dogs who have killed a human being, running loose in a neighborhood." - Attorney Richard Turbin.

Turbin talked about a state statute that allows for any person to file an application with the courts of Hawaii for a "dangerous dog" designation if the person believes it is dangerous. We could find no reference to this in online searches, but Texas has a similar statute and is commonly seen posted on city or county animal control websites. That this right exists for Hawaii citizens, but is hidden from view, is the direct failure of the Hawaiian Humane Society and the city of Honolulu.

Nearby businesses also told KITV the same dogs had gotten loose in the industrial area before. Surveillance footage might exist for the deadly attack as well. One company said that police looked at surveillance video that showed Aliado picking up cans along the stream. Police did not say if they viewed any attack footage. Homeless people in the area told KITV they believed the same dogs were involved in previous attacks, but it is unknown if any were reported to authorities.

Second Victim Comes Forward

On the heels of this KITV update, the news group published a follow up, reporting that a second victim came forward. Francine Kornegay, who lives under the airport viaduct, told KITV she was attacked over a year ago by two dogs near the ContainerLand store in Kalihi. A witness called emergency responders who arrived shortly after the attack. Kornegay said she believes a man let three dogs out from behind a fenced area when two of the dogs, both pit bull-mixes, attacked her.

"I was in a wheelchair for a while after [the attack], I could not walk, anything. I couldn't care for myself." - Francine Kornegay

The owners of ContainerLand admitted that they helped Kornegay, who was transported to Tripler Army Medical Center. They paid for her antibiotics and brought her food, reports KITV. The owners said they had five dogs at that time -- at least three were pit bull-mixes according to their personal Facebook pages. The owners were unsure if the same dogs were involved in both attacks. The owners said two of their dogs died in 2015. One was memorialized on their Facebook pages.

The owners of ContainerLand said they feel terrible about the attacks, reports KITV. But they did nothing to prevent the mauling death of Aliado either. Their dogs had attacked at least once before and nearby business owners said their pit bull-mixes had escaped on previous occasions. Under an agreement with the Hawaiian Humane Society, the ContainerLand owners are "not to walk the dogs in their neighborhood," KITV reports. Quite the penalty after their dogs savagely killed a man.

Editorial note added August 13: While writing this update, we noticed the owners of ContainerLand, Michael Souza and Candace Souza (a married couple), have since deactivated their Facebook pages. Due to this, we have replaced live links throughout this post, which previously linked to their Facebook pages, with screenshots and PDF files that we gathered while researching the fatal pit bull attack of Crisencio Aliado.

Photographs of Suspected Dogs

UPDATE 08/04/16: On Tuesday, the Honolulu medical examiner determined that 52-year old Crisencio Aliado died from multiple dog bite injuries. A follow up news report by Khon 2 revealed the two dogs involved in the attack were pit bull-mixes that belonged to the owner of the nearby business, ContainerLand. Aliado was a homeless man who had been washing clothing in the nearby stream when the dogs attacked, according to the victim's friend Norbert Cardoza.

The Facebook profile for ContainerLand shows it was created by Michael Souza (his name is literally in the URL). Souza's father, Norman "Pops" Souza, who passed away last August, started the business, according to his obituary. ContainerLand is also known as Diamond Head Distributors or Island Distributors, states a reviewer on the business' Yelp page. The father's obituary also states these three business names along with the name, T&R Distributors.

The son is also listed as a business owner for ContainerLand and Diamond Head Distributors, the businesses share the same address.

Michael's personal Facebook page states he is married to Candace. Both of their Facebook pages overwhelm with photographs of their pet pit bulls. Between the two, they appear to have at least three pit bulls. However, the black male, named Bailey, died in January 2015, which leaves the two others as the culprits.1 The couple also breeds pit bulls and Michael apparently prefers the mix of 3/4 pure pit bull terrier with 1/4 pure pointer. It is unknown if the owners will face criminal charges.

08/04/16: Homeless Man Killed
Honolulu, HI - On Tuesday, the Honolulu medical examiner determined 52-year old Crisencio Aliado died from multiple dog bite injuries. Aliado, a homeless man, was attacked in Kalihi, a neighborhood of Honolulu. Khon 2 reports the attack occurred behind ContainerLand, a party supply warehouse. The two pit bull-mixes belong to the business owners. Witness Reno S. said, "There was a dead body. A guy was mauled. It looked like his leg and his head was all bloody."

Crisencio Aliado was found dead at about 7 pm Friday, July 29, on a stream bank near Marukai, along Kamehameha Highway.

One of Aliado's friends, Norbert Cardoza, said Aliado was washing his clothes in the stream at the time of the attack. “He was the most mild-mannered person you could meet. Didn’t bother nobody. Just that he was homeless,” Cardoza said. The owners of ContainerLand confirmed their two pit bull-mixes were confiscated after the deadly mauling and are currently being held at the Hawaiian Humane Society. The owner's claimed their dogs "somehow" escaped their fenced warehouse.

The last fatal dog mauling in Hawaii occurred in 2008, the death of 2-month old Iokepa Liptak.

1When we published on August 4, we did not know that Bailey died last year. Upon further examination of the owner's Facebook photos, this became clear, so we updated that portion of the paragraph. Notably, on Bailey's memorial photo, one can see the container boxes in the background. In comments on the instagram photo, people ask, "What happened?" but the owner does not respond. Now a year and half later, the couple is set to lose their remaining two pit bulls due to the horrific violence, destruction and death they inflicted upon a homeless man.

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Colleen Lynn

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Mauled to Death by Her Boyfriend's Pit Bull in Georgia

Michelle Wilcox, 30, was killed by her boyfriend's pit bull in Screven County, Georgia.

No History of Aggression for Any of the Dogs?

UPDATE 08/04/16: Since news broke Tuesday about the fatal dog mauling of Michelle Wilcox, the public has been told that no dogs belonging to her boyfriend had "any known history of viciousness or aggression," according to Screven County Sheriff' Mike Kile's news release. That information is no longer valid; one of the male pit bulls had previously attacked. We also now know the identity of the boyfriend and that he owned four adult pit bulls -- two females and two males.

Devin Bannon is the boyfriend of Wilcox and clearly states so on his public Facebook page. His male pit bull Conan is still being used as his cover photo. On July 18, Bannon posted an image of his pit bulls: Muffin, Kaos, Conan and Molly. We presume Muffin is a female, so that leaves Kaos or Conan as the male fatal attacker. According to Kaos' former owner, Troy Johnson, "Kaos, ended with some legal charges over an attack, sent him to a farm in Statesboro with Devin."

Johnson posted this status update on May 23, 2015 along with photos of Kaos at different ages. The name "Devin" links to the profile of Bannon. In the update, Johnson commiserates about his inability to find a suitable male pit bull for his female pit bull, Maggie. By that point he had gone through four male pit bulls and was starting on a fifth. It is unknown exactly when Johnson sent Kaos to Devin. The first photo of Kaos appears on Bannon's Facebook page on May 26, 2014.

Yesterday, we wrote to Sheriff Kile with this information and also asked for clarification on whether the fatal attacker was Kaos or Conan. We emphasize again that Conan continues to be Bannon's Facebook cover photo after the death of Wilcox. What is also notable about his photographs is that his four pit bulls are of the larger variety and mainly seen "outside." Yet, he was quick to tell authorities his pit bulls were "indoor" dogs. Maybe Bannon meant they were "garage" dogs.

Pit Bull Milestone

Attorney and author J. Thomas Beasley wrote about this attack at his website. Last April, Beasley published Misunderstood Nanny Dogs? A Critical and Objective Analysis of the Facts & Myths Concerning Pit Bulls. We wrote an excellent book review for it, and others have as well. We encourage readers to purchase a copy. In his post about Wilcox, Beasley reminds us of her expertise with animals, yet even this expertise could not prevent or stop the deadly mauling.

"Michelle Wilcox worked as an inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and had studied pre-veterinarian medicine and animal science at the University of Georgia. She was an avid and skilled equestrian rider, and by all accounts, an “animal expert.” But that expertise did nothing to thwart the unprovoked, unexpected and uncontrollable attack by her boyfriend’s pit bull on August 2, 2016. Police investigators stated that the dog was well cared for, had been raised from puppyhood as an “inside dog” and had no history of violence or aggression." - J. Thomas Beasley

Read in full: Pit Bull Milestone - J. Thomas Beasley

08/02/16: News Release Adds Details
An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Michelle Wilcox, 30-years old, died due to injuries inflicted by the pit bull, according to a news release issued by Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile late Tuesday. "No one else was in the home at the time of the incident," Sheriff Mike Kile states. "The dog, a male pit bull, was put down by the owner immediately following the discovery of the attack," Kile states in the release.

Wilcox was familiar with the dogs at the home and had handled them safely many times in the past. None of the dogs in the home had any known history of viciousness or aggression, states the release. The Statesboro Herald adds that Wilcox's Facebook page indicates Wilcox was employed as a meat inspector with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and had studied pre-veterinary medicine at Gainesville State College and animal science at the University of Georgia.

08/02/16: Pit Bull Kills Woman in Georgia
Screven County, GA - In a developing story, a woman was brutally mauled to death by her boyfriend's pit bull near Newington, Georgia. Investigators say Michelle Wilcox died after being attacked by her boyfriend's pit bull while he was away at work Monday. About 6 pm last night, county investigators responded to a 911 call of a dead person at the boyfriend's home. Authorities arrived to a "horrific scene," reports WTOC, a woman mauled to death by a family pit bull.

"We will never know the reason why. It was raised from a small puppy in the house to the 95 pound dog it is now," Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile said. "She came home and let it out and seemed to be doing the normal routine. The dog just attacked," Kile said. Like many law enforcement officers, Kile responds to the "lack of reason" for the deadly attack, yet the nature of a pit bull attack is often explosive, unpredictable aggression and the execution of the killing bite.

While writing this post, more news was added, including there were multiple dogs in the home. "Investigators say none of the dogs in the home had any known history of viciousness or aggression," reports WTOC. It is very likely the family was backyard breeding pit bulls. The owner also destroyed the attacking pit bull immediately upon discovering his girlfriend dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) assisted local authorities in this investigation, reports WTOC.

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

Posted on July 23, 2016 by Colleen Lynn

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Pit Bulls Kill Boy on Navajo Nation Reservation

On July 14, Kayden Begay, was killed by a pack of pit bulls in Seba Dalkai.

Navajo Leaders Respond
UPDATE 07/23/16: A week after 3-year old Kayden Begay was killed by a pack of dogs in Seba Dalkai, a report from the Navajo Nation Animal Control Program obtained by the Associated Press confirmed the boy was killed by dogs in the area. The report does not specify the breeds of dogs involved or whether the dogs had owners -- which is standard practice for fatal dog attacks that occur on reservations in our experience. The report also states that only five dogs were involved.

This might indicate that at least six pit bulls or their mixes were removed (vacated) from the scene before Navajo Nation authorities arrived.

Citing the report, Navajo President Russell Begaye said that five dogs mauled the boy before officials arrived. Two dogs were shot on scene and three were taken into custody and euthanized at an animal shelter in Fort Defiance, Arizona, according to the report. All five dogs tested negative for rabies. Cecil Hubbell Sr., president of the Navajo Nation's Wide Ruins Chapter, said people told him they had reported these dogs before, but officials took no actions until the boy was killed.

The Navajo Nation is about 27,000 square miles -- larger than West Virginia -- with very limited resources. The Navajo Nation Animal Control (NNAC) web page states they only have five officers for the entire reservation.1 In a public message plea for more funding, NNAC states they currently lack the ability to provide services in key areas including: aggressive enforcement of laws, livestock damage investigations, animal-bite investigations, quarantines and much more.

07/18/16: Pit Bulls Kill Boy
Window Rock, AZ - A 3-year old boy was killed by a pack of dogs in Seba Dalkai Thursday. The rural community is located on the Navajo Nation Reservation northeast of Flagstaff. The boy's mother, Kimasha Shorty of Gallup, told the Navajo Times that Kayden Colter Begay was visiting her paternal grandparents in Seba Dalkai at the time. Kayden had followed his aunt outside to get the cattle when a pack of 12 pit bulls owned by the family's neighbor attacked and killed him.

The pack of loose pit bulls belonged to neighbor Marlinda Begay, a relative on Kayden's father's side, according to the boy's mother.

Shorty was told his aunt was unaware that Kayden had followed her. “She turned around and saw the dogs gathered around something. She went to see what they were doing, and that’s when she found my son," Shorty told the Navajo Times. The pit bulls attacked Kayden's face, ripping off the left side, and gnawed his thigh to the bone. People in the area had long complained to the Navajo Nation Rangers about the dogs attacking livestock, Shorty said, but nothing was ever done.

After learning about her son's death, Shorty drove to Seba Dalkai from Gallup. By the time she arrived, authorities had destroyed some of the dogs. However, Shorty did not believe they had gotten them all. The Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations Office in Dilkon confirmed that a unit is investigating the boy's mauling death. No charges have been filed so far. Shorty described her son as “the happy kid who ran around shaking everyone’s hand." A fund has been set up for the boy.

Mauling Deaths on Reservations

Kayden is the third person killed on the Navajo Nation Reservation since 2010. In 2012, Tomas Jay Henio, 8-years old, was mauled to death by up to nine dogs a day after Christmas in Pine Hill. In December 2010, Larry Armstrong, 56-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs near Gallup. Since 2010, there have been at least seven fatal dog attacks on reservations nationwide, including the deaths of Julia Whirlwind, 49, Jayla Rodriguez, 8, Deanne Coando, 40 and baby Justin Lopez.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Fatal Dog Attacks on American Indian Reservations.

Learn about breed-specific laws on Indian reservations in our Breed Safety Laws section.

1In a July 21, 2016 article by the Navajo Times, Wide Ruins Chapter President Cecil Hubbell Sr. said there are only four animal control officers across Navajoland. The article also states the mother's last name is Shorty, not Begay.

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Colleen Lynn

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Pit Bull Kills 71-Year Old Woman in Southwest Detroit

Elizabeth Rivera, 71-years old, was killed by a family pit bull in southwest Detroit.

Previous Attack Photos
UPDATE 07/20/16: The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office said that 71-year old Elizabeth Rivera died of "crush injury to the neck." The manner of death was ruled an accident. The autopsy was performed on July 17, reports the Detroit Free Press. The following day, Detroit police stated they had completed their investigation, though it was unknown if one or more family pit bulls were involved in the fatal attack. Rivera was found dead inside her home by a relative Saturday night.

WXYZ Detroit reported new details in a news video Monday, along with photographs of Rivera's injuries involving a previous attack by a different pit bull. That attack was first reported as occurring last August. However, the WXYZ video states that it was several years ago, and Rivera had to undergo extensive surgeries and skin grafts after that family pit bull attacked her face. It was later put down. The loved one who spoke to WXYZ would not appear on camera in fear of retaliation.

In both attacks, the severe facial attack and the attack that killed her, Rivera's daughter and her daughter's "boyfriend" owned the pit bulls.

"I was astonished. I couldn't believe it because of what happened prior. I never thought this would happen again," states the person. "She was the heart of our family. She was a wonderful sweet woman, very compassionate. She went to church all the time, and she does not deserve this. This should have never happened to her," states the person. There aren't words to describe how difficult her funeral services will be. What could the daughter and her "boyfriend" possibly say?

07/16/16: Killed by Family Pit Bull
Detroit, MI - A 71-year old woman was attacked and killed by her own pit bull in her southwest Detroit home. The attack happened about 8 pm at her home in the 2000 block of Ferdinand Street, Sgt. Michael Woody of Detroit Police said. The pit bull attacked the woman, knocking her down then latched onto her neck and executed the killing bite, severing her jugular vein. She died on scene. There were three other dogs in the home at the time. Animal control seized the pit bull.

Click on Detroit reports that all four dogs are pit bulls and were seized by authorities. Family members identified the victim as Elizabeth Rivera. The victim's granddaughter discovered Rivera lifeless on the home's first floor. Family members said the dogs belong to a "boyfriend" of a family member, but Rivera had been around the dogs regularly. Rivera survived a pit bull attack last August from a different dog. It is unclear who owned that pit bull, the "boyfriend" or someone else.

Rivera's home is about a 15-minute drive from where 4-year old Xavier Strickland was brutally struck down by a pack of pit bulls that escaped their owner's property on December 2. Last month, a jury convicted the owner of those pit bulls, Geneke Lyons, on manslaughter. On June 30, Judge James Callahan sentenced Lyons below the guidelines in connection to the boy's death to 5-years probation with the first year to be spent in the Wayne County prison work release program.

Graphic Medical study: Pitbull Mauling Deaths in Detroit, by Cheryl L. Loewe MD et al., The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol 28, December 2007.

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

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Photographs of Suspected Dogs

No History of Aggression for Any of the Dogs?