2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Pastor Dies After Violent Dog Attack in East Indianapolis

9

Willie Mundine, a pastor at the Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, died after a violent dog attack.

Another Victim Emerges
UPDATE 02/03/24: While Indianapolis Animal Care Services continues to search for the second dog involved in the attack that killed Willie Mundine on January 30, a new victim has emerged who was attacked by two dogs "just yards away" from where Mundine was attacked a day earlier and remains hospitalized from his injuries. After seeing the picture of one of the dogs released by police, 64-year old Richard Hayes believes the dogs that attacked him are the same ones that attacked Mundine.

Hayes taking a morning walk when the dogs attacked. "He was bitten down to his bones. He's going to have a long recovery, as if his disabilities already weren't enough," his sister Joyce told WTHR. People driving by in a van stopped to help him. "I believe he is alive today because they stopped and got involved and got him the help he needed," Joyce said. Hayes, who has special needs, is preparing for his second surgery. His family anticipates he will need to use a wheelchair and undergo therapy.

01/31/24: Man Dies After Dog Attack
Indianapolis, IN - An 85-year old man is dead after a string of attacks by the same two dogs, described as pit bulls, on the east side of Indianapolis. On Tuesday, IMPD officers were dispatched to the 2300 block of North Kenyon Street around 9:55 am for a report of an aggressive dog attacking a man. An arriving officer fired his weapon, hitting one dog, to stop the attack. The victim, identified as Willie Mundine, 85, was transported to a nearby hospital with critical injuries, where he later died.

Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) impounded the dog shot by police, which was injured but "alert," according to news reports. As of Tuesday night, authorities continue to search for the second dog, a brown pit bull. A day before the attack, IACS had received a complaint about two loose dogs, a black pit bull and a brown pit bull attacking people and other dogs on Indianapolis' near northeast side, according to a news release by the city. Officers were unable to locate those dogs on Monday.

Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) Animal Control Officers (ACOs) did receive a complaint yesterday and investigated reports of what was described as one brown and one black pitbull-type dog attacking people and dogs on the city’s near northeast side. Officers were unable to locate the dogs in question at that time. According to procedure, IACS established a “sweep” schedule wherein officers would be dispatched to the area those animals were last seen between three to four times a day for the next 10 days.

An ACO was in the area searching for those dogs today before a new report came in that two dogs were attacking a person in the 2300 block of North Kenyon Street. After an ACO and EMS arrived on-scene, they requested IMPD and additional ACOs to assist. IMPD officers arrived and located a victim with injuries consistent with multiple dog bites. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. An IMPD officer discharged their firearm at the aggressive dog, and an ACO did locate the wounded black dog to impound it.

ACOs are still working to locate and impound the other dog. If individuals in the area see a loose brown dog, they are instructed to call the Mayor’s Action Center at 317- 327-4622 or file a report through RequestIndy. - Kurt Christian, Chief Communications Officer, Indianapolis Animal Care Services

Mundine was a pastor at the Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church along with his wife. The dogs attacked him while he was in his own yard. His granddaughter, Hollie Watkins, said, "It was just horrifying, scary. I've never seen him like that. I will never forget those cries." When the dogs approached family members, they ran inside, but Mundine stayed outside to try to get the dogs off the property. "We just heard him screaming and we went back there and they were attacking him," Watkins said.

An IMPD officer fired on one of the dogs after arriving on scene. IACS later took over the investigation. At the time of the attack, IACS had already established a "sweep" schedule one block away "wherein officers would be dispatched to the area those animals were last seen between three to four times a day for the next 10 days," due to the complaints on Monday. After Mundine was attacked Tuesday morning, IACS officers spent several hours patrolling the area looking for additional loose dogs.

WTHR interviewed Mundine's wife. Betty said when they arrived home, there were three dogs in their yard. The dogs ran toward them. Betty was able to get inside, but the dogs attacked Mundine. "He saved my life. He was a hero," Betty said. Conflicting media reports state the second pit bull involved in the attack has been captured and others state the dog remains at large. On Wednesday, IMPD released a photo of a dark brown/black pit bull, asking for the public to help identify its owner.

Second Dog Still Loose

An update from the Indianapolis Star clarifies that authorities are still searching for the second dog. IACS officers continue to patrol the North Kenyon Street area where Mundine was attacked by two pit bulls on Tuesday. He was transported to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving. The Marion County Coroner's Office ruled that multiple dog bites caused Mundine's death. The manner of death was an accident. The owners of the dogs involved have not been identified.

WIXN spoke to Mark Lowe who said the same dogs attacked him and his dog last week. "They came and attacked us from the back. We didn't see them coming," Lowe said. One of the dogs bit his arm. WIXN showed him footage of a black pit bull with a white chest, which has been evading capture. Lowe said it was the same dog. After his attack, he reported the dogs to IACS. He wished the dogs had been captured before the deadly attack on Tuesday. "I wish I could have done more," Lowe said.

Lowe also spoke to WTHR. He said he was walking his dog "Dante" last week when they were ambushed by the two pit bulls. "They just grabbed him, first of all, the pit did and started taking him to the ground, fighting him," Lowe said. He started punching the dogs, and that's when the black pit bull started attacking him. A neighbor came to his rescue and scareed off the dogs. Afterward, Lowe reported the attack to IACS. "I told the Animal Control that these dogs are going to kill somebody."

Elderly pastor dies dog attack

Willie Mundine, 85-years old, was a pastor at the Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church. On Wednesday, IMPD released an image of one of the dogs involved in the deadly attack

Elderly pastor dies dog attack

The second dog involved, a black and white pit bull, continues to evade being captured.

map iconView the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Indiana Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Related articles:
12/06/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Woman, 89, Killed by Family Pit Bull in Cass County, Indiana
05/10/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Marion County Deputy Killed by Violent Dog, Her Son Injured...

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.

2023 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs

4

Nonprofit Captured 76% of Breed Identification Images in 2023

2023 breed identification photographs
Photographs of six fatally attacking dogs in 2023 obtained from multiple sources.

Jump down to view all 2023 breed identification photographs or read our analysis first.

DogsBite.org - In 2013, we began the tradition of publishing breed identification photographs of fatally attacking dogs when available through news reports, animal control agencies, police departments, social media and public information requests. Of the 58 dog bite fatalities recorded in 2023, 64% (37) had some form of a breed identification photograph. Our nonprofit was responsible for capturing 76% of them. Pit bulls and their mixes represent 65% of the identification images collected in 2023.

Of the 37 cases with breed identification photographs, 27% (10) comprised images captured or republished by news media; 76% (28) comprised images located on social media pages of the dog's owner or family members; and 76% (28) comprised images that were the result of our research and otherwise may have gone unpublished. Police and animal control agencies released dog identification images after only 3 deaths, yet 71% of all deaths (41 of 58) involved dogs taken into quarantine.

(Percentages are higher than 100% due to a single death containing multiple dog images, each attributed to a different source, as well as images that fall into overlapping publishing categories.)

Identification Photographs (2013-2023)

From 2013 to 2023, images captured by our nonprofit have risen from 26% to 76%. Images captured by media have fallen from 79% to 27%.

breed identification photograph 2013-2023

Chart shows 11 years of breed identification photographs collected between 2013 and 2023.

2023 Unreleased Breed Data

Of the total recorded 58 dog bite fatalities in 2023, 7 cases had no breed information (12%). A FOIA by our nonprofit lowered that number to 6. Our research of Facebook pages belonging to the dog owners -- to locate the suspected dogs -- lowered that number to only 3 cases (5%) when breed information was fully unknown. In 2022, the landscape was far worse, when 33% of all recorded fatal dog maulings fully lacked breed information until we brought forth multiple time-consuming FOIAs.

In 2023, 31% of deaths involved 1 or more dogs shot at the scene, which often diminishes the ability to collect breed identification images.

Characteristics of the 7 cases in 2023 where authorities did not release breed data include: 100% of victims are adults ≥ 39 years old (when age known 6/6); 100% of victims are classified as marginalized (when known 6/6); 86% of attacks occurred in the Southern United States (6/7) and 71% involved a pack of 4 or more dogs (5/7). In the 4 cases where breed information was discovered, 75% involved pit bulls (3/4), half involved Belgian malinois' (2/2) and half involved mixed-breed dogs (2/2).1

Pack Attacks, Off Property Attacks Rise

Pack attacks and off-property attacks rose sharply in 2023. Pack attacks accounted for 29% of fatal dog bites in 2023, which is a 93% rise from the pre-Covid combined year average of 15% (2005 to 2019). Off-property attacks accounted for 43% of fatal dog attacks in 2023, which is a 65% rise from the pre-Covid years of 26%. Of the 21 deaths where breed images were not captured in 2023, most attacks, 57% (12), occurred off the owner's property and 76% (16) involved 1 or more pit bulls.

Despite the high number of off-property attacks, it was more common to obtain a breed identification photograph when the attack occurred on property. Of the 33 on property attacks, 73% (24) had an identification image versus 52% (13/25) for off-property attacks. When property data is known, the dog owner's Facebook page is more easily located. For off-property attacks -- unless police name the dogs' owner -- it's harder to obtain the information required to run searches on social media.2

Breed Misidentification Conflicts

Two breed identification conflicts arose in 2023. They began with the death of a baby in Waterloo, Iowa. The grandmother, who was babysitting and called 911, identified the dog as a "pit bull" to the 911 dispatcher. In a 2018 Facebook post, the baby's father hashtagged "Echo" as a pit bull. The dog has the distinct "rose ears" of a pit bull, identified in the 1977 American Pit Bull conformation standard. Nonetheless, Waterloo officials stated the dog was a 9-year old "neutered male boxer-hound mix."

"334 for an animal attack on an infant ... The animal control, PD ... received a report that a 9-month old child possibly killed by a pit bull. Our reporting party was also injured as well ... Scott Avenue ... 10-4, send a truck ... Respond 334 for an animal attack ... for a pit bull that's attacked a 9-month old child, possibly killed it. We do have animal control and PD in route as well. Our reporting party was also injured. I don't know the extent. It does sound like the pit bull might be in the backyard, in a fenced-in backyard." - Black Hawk County Fire and EMS Dispatch

The other identification conflict arose after a 6-year old boy was killed by a pair of "very large and heavy great dane-mastiff mixes" in Portland, Oregon. The boy was routinely dropped off at the woman's home, who owns the dogs, before school. That day, the boy followed her into the garage where the dogs were kept, and the dogs attacked him. The woman operates a business called "K9 Protection" and had images of two cane corso-mixes on her Facebook page, one from February 2023.

While not technically a conflict, because no breed data was released, the dog pack that killed Sau Nguyen, 79, is unusual. Multiple photographs of the dogs were published by media. Some speculated a Kangal was involved. A woman whose chihuahua had been killed by the dog pack described them as, "akita shepherd-mix and a pit bull-akita mix." Media did not even follow up with Nguyen's cause of death, which was "multiple sharp force and blunt force injuries." The manner of death was accident.

Summary

In 2023, 64% of dog bite fatalities had some form of a breed identification photograph, just above the 10-year average of 62% (2013 to 2022). Our nonprofit captured over three quarters of them, 76%, in 2023. Pit bulls and their mixes represent 65% of the identification images collected in 2023, below the 10-year average of 74%. Breed identification photographs captured by media declined to 27% in 2023. The only worse year, 2020, was the peak of Covid when images captured by news media fell to 25%.

At 64%, 2023 marks the first increase in capturing these images since the pandemic. However, in 2019, 84% of deaths had a breed identity photo.

Finally, of the total recorded 58 dog bite fatalities in 2023, 7 cases lacked all breed information (12%). Through our nonprofit's research and FOIAs, we lowered that number to only 3 cases, 5%. We were able to capture breed identification images for 4 of these deaths, where otherwise the breeds involved would have been unknown.3 This is a better result than last year, when 33% of all recorded fatal dog maulings lacked breed information until we brought forth multiple time-consuming FOIAs.

2023 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs

Sadie Davila - East Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Photos of fatally attacking pit bull (news media)

Sadie Davila - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Sadie Davila, 7-years old, was killed by an unrestrained pit bull belonging to a neighbor on January 6, 2023 in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A relative tried to intervene by hitting the dog with a walking cane to no avail. Davila suffered "numerous dog bites to her face and substantial damage to her skull." The owner of the dog was charged with negligent homicide.

Kellan Boner - Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho

Dated photos of two rottweilers on dog owner’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Kellan Boner - fatal rottweiler attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | iconicon Kellan Boner, 7-years old, was killed by four dogs -- two rottweilers and two mixed-breeds -- on January 21, 2023 on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. His mother sustained critical injuries from the dogs trying to stop the attack. Kellan and his mother are non-tribal members, who lived in an RV behind the dog owner's home, also non-tribal members.

Doris McBurse - Pitts, Georgia

Photos of two "blue" pit bulls on dog owner’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Doris McBurse - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Doris McBurse, 66-years old, was killed by a "blue pit bull" on her property in Pitts, Georgia on January 23, 2023. The dog had been staked out on a chain, but broke free and attacked her. She fled to her car for safety, where her body was found. She and her husband, who also bred and sold blue and red nosed pit bulls, had owned the canine for three or four years.

Stanley Hartt - Tucumcari, New Mexico

Photos of two of five fatally attacking dogs (police, news media, social media & dogsbite.org)

Stanley Hartt - fatal dog attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Stanley Hartt, 64-years old, was killed by five dogs on February 1, 2023 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Hartt’s body was found with "numerous bite marks" and large portions of his legs appeared "to have been eaten away by animals," states the arrest affidavit. The dogs' owners were charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony possession of a dangerous dog.

Duane Osadchuk - Warren, Texas

Photos on dog owners’ Facebook page prior to fatal attack (social media & dogsbite.org)

Duane Osadchuk - fatal dog pack attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Duane Osadchuk, 68-years old, died on February 10, 2023 after being mauled by multiple dogs in Warren, Texas. The autopsy report states the cause of death was "multiple sharp and blunt force injuries" and the manner of death "is best deemed accident." The owner claimed he shot the dogs afterward. The Tyler County Sheriff's Office denied our FOIA request.

Bonnie Varnes - Toledo, Ohio

Photos of fatally attacking family pit bull, "Amenia" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Bonnie Varnes - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Bonnie Varnes, 58-years old, was killed by her daughter's female pit bull on February 20, 2023 in Toledo, Ohio. Police obtained surveillance footage, which showed Varnes taking the pit bull "Amenia" out the back door on a leash. As she did, the dog pulled her down and attacked. After finding her mother, the daughter described Amenia as being "vicious at times."

Ramon Najera Jr. - San Antonio, Texas

Photos of two fatally attacking pit bulls, "King" and "Snow" (news & social media)

Ramon Najera Jr - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Ramon Najera Jr., 81-years old, was killed by a pair of pit bulls on February 24, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. Firefighters had to fight off the dogs with "pickaxes and pipe poles to try to get to the patients." The dogs, King and Snow, had a history of aggression and biting. The owners later pleaded guilty to charges and were sentenced to over 10 years each.

Joe Scott - Jefferson County, Alabama

Photos of five of six dogs from fatally attacking dog pack (sheriff’s office)

Joe Scott - fatal dog pack attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Joe Scott, 74-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs in Jefferson County, Alabama on February 28, 2023 while taking a morning walk. When deputies arrived at the scene, Scott was unresponsive and surrounded by six large dogs. The dogs were believed to be strays of related offspring. An autopsy determined that Scott died due to injuries sustained in a dog attack.

Kristen Potter - Perry County, Pennsylvania

Photos of two great dane puppies on dog owner’s Instagram page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Kristen Potter - fatal great dane attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Kristen Potter, 38-years old, was killed by a pair of great danes in Perry County, Pennsylvania on March 16, 2023. Potter had agreed to feed her neighbor’s dogs while they were away. Police suggested that two of the three dogs may have started fighting among themselves as Potter was feeding them and may have turned on Potter when she intervened.

Donald Gibson - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Photos of fatally attacking female pit bull, "Isabella" (news media)

Donald Gibson - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Donald Gibson, 66-years old, died after trying to break up a fight between two rescue pit bulls. The attack occurred inside the garage. Gibson's wife, Gena, said the female pit bull, "Isabella" redirected onto Gibson, tearing out chunks of his arm. "My garage looked like a slaughterhouse," Carter said. The other pit bull, "Angel," was put down due to her injuries.

Blake Bettis - Brunswick, Maryland

Photos of fatally attacking mastiff-pit bull mix, "Cash" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Blake Bettis - fatal mastiff attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Blake Bettis, 2-years old, was killed by his grandmother's dog while visiting her home in Maryland on April 4, 2023. The grandmother, who witnessed the attack, said her mastiff-pit bull mix, "Cash," had lived with the family for five years. The boy had been playing with the dog all day. The dog attacked the boy when family members were preparing to leave.

Daniel Bonacorsi - Detroit, Michigan

Photos of two fatally attacking pit bulls, "DeNiro" and "Sola" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Daniel Bonacorsi - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Daniel Bonacorsi, 58-years old, was killed by two pit bulls being housed in a boarded-up building in Detroit on April 4, 2023. Bonacorsi entered the building with another man to try to help the seemingly abandoned dogs when the canines attacked him. But the dogs were owned, licensed, vaccinated and secured by the property owner, according to the city of Detroit.

Glennaroy Blackwelder - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Photos of two of three fatally attacking pit bulls, "Bergle" and "Boba" (dogsbite.org FOIA)

Glennaroy Blackwelder - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | 71-years old, was killed by her neighbor's four dogs -- including three pit bulls -- on April 18, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Blackwelder had been looking for one of her cats at the time. Her body was found in the backyard of a home that was adjacent to the dog owner's backyard. The dogs attacked her through the fence, grabbing ahold of one of her arms, killing her.

Navy Smith - Waterloo, Iowa

Photos of fatally attacking pit bull-mix, "Echo" (news media, social media & dogsbite.org)

Navy Smith - fatal pit bull-mix attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Navy Smith, 9-months old, was killed by a family dog on May 4, 2023 at her home in Waterloo, Iowa. Her grandmother, who called 911, identified the dog as a pit bull to the dispatcher. The baby's father identified the dog, "Echo," as a pit bull in a 2018 social media post. Nonetheless, Waterloo officials stated the dog was a 9-year old "neutered male boxer-hound mix."

Infant Jane Doe - Madison Charter Township, Michigan

Photos of pit bull-mix on grandparent’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Infant Jane Doe - fatal pit bull mix attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Infant Jane Doe, 11-months old, died after being attacked by a pet dog while visiting her grandparents' home in Madison Township, Michigan on June 19, 2023. The infant was outside playing in the backyard while under adult supervision when the attack occurred. The dog involved was a 5-year old pit bull-mix, according to the police department’s news release.

Lewis Flores - Rockport, Texas

Photos of three of five suspected fatally attacking dogs (social media & dogsbite.org)

Lewis Flores - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Lewis Flores, 40-years old, died after being attacked by multiple dogs in Rockport, Texas on June 20, 2023. A man who lives nearby, Adrian Arispe, described the gruesome scene to reporters. "He was laying there face down, naked -- all torn up like a shark ate him." A relative posted to Facebook, "Lewis just passed he got mangled by a pack of pit bulls."

Anthony Bastardi - Johnston County, North Carolina

Photos of fatally attacking bull terrier and cane corso (news media & social media)

Anthony Bastardi - fatal bull terrier attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Anthony Bastardi, 67-years old, was killed while dog sitting on July 3, 2023 in Wilson's Mills, North Carolina. The dogs belonged to the victim's daughter and son-in-law. After one of the dogs bit the first dog sitter, Bastardi was asked to take over the role. The dogs attacked Bastardi inside the home and continued attacking him after he exited the front door of the home.

Daylan Guillen - North Port, Florida

Photos of suspected fatally attacking family pit bull, "Theo" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Daylan Guillen - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Daylan Guillen, 6-years old, died after sustaining traumatic injuries from a family pit bull on July 5, 2023 in North Port, Florida. The dog lived in the same home as the child since it was a puppy. "The dog was in a bedroom, the child walked into the bedroom to get something," police said. "Next thing you know, people heard screaming and jumped into action."

Adult Jane Doe - Suwannee County, Florida

Photos of one of four fatally attacking American bulldog-mixes (social media & dogsbite.org)

Adult Jane Doe - fatal American bulldog attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Adult Jane Doe, 67-years old, was killed by four dogs on July 18, 2023 in Suwannee County, Florida. The victim went to a property looking for her grandson, but he was not present, nor was anyone who could control the four American bulldog-mixes. "Gypsy, Cane, Bo boy and Elzie" were later surrendered and euthanized, according to animal control records.

Joseph Keeton - Deschutes County, Oregon

Photos of one of three fatally attacking pit bull-mastiff mixes, "D.J" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Joseph Keeton - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Joseph Keeton, 56-years old, was killed by three pit bull-mixes at a transient camp known as "Dirt World" on July 19, 2023. Keeton had been mauled for "a prolonged period of time," the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said. Jessica Rae "Charity" McCleery, 38, was later charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Chanthy Philavong Maetu - Modesto, California

Photos of two fatally attacking cane corsos, belonging to Kareem Morrell (news media)

Chanthy Philavong Maetu - fatal cane corso attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Chanthy Philavong, 93-years old, died after being attacked by a pair of cane corsos in her own front yard on September 1, 2023. The dogs were captured on neighbor Jeniece Dendulk's camera rushing her front door moments before the attack. "It was chaos. It was a matter of 80 seconds," she said. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office did not bring charges.

Billene Cameron - Kennewick, Washington

Photos of one of two fatally attacking pit bulls (social media & dogsbite.org)

Billene Cameron - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | 65-years old, died while hospitalized after being attacked by two pit bulls. The attack began when Cameron ran outside to save her pug "Diego" from the dogs. A neighbor climbed a 6-foot fence to help. He beat one of the pit bulls with his cane, allowing Cameron to escape inside her home. The second pit bull followed her inside and continued the attack.

Brenda Witt - Miller County, Arkansas

Photos of fatally attacking pit bull-mixes (social media & dogsbite.org)

Brenda Witt - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | 60-years old, was killed by a pack of pit bull-mixes. Authorities said when Witt's daughter returned from church, she found her mother dead inside of an old vehicle on the property, where she had tried to take shelter from the violent dogs. The owner, Chris Scott, was charged with one count of misdemeanor negligent homicide. He surrendered himself to police.

Diane Knepper - Toledo, Ohio

Photos of fatally attacking family pit bull-Labrador mix (news media)

Diane Knepper - fatal pit bull-mix attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Diane Knepper, 70-years old, was killed by her own dog on September 26, 2023 in Toledo, Ohio. Workers from a lawn care company, who found her body, said she was lying face down on the ground holding the dog's leash. The Lucas County Coroner determined Knepper died from multiple blunt and sharp force injuries. The manner of death was ruled an accident.

Donovan Brooks - Ringgold, Louisiana

Photos of two current pit bulls on the owners’ Facebook pages (social media & dogsbite.org)

Donovan Brooks - fatal dog pack attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Donovan Brooks, 40-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs, but not found until a month later. Police believe his body had been in a wooded area after being moved from where he was killed by the dogs. Three adults were arrested on charges of negligent homicide and obstruction of justice. Police seized 26 dogs -- nine large and 17 small -- from the property.

Paul Striegl - San Antonio, Texas

Photos of fatally attacking pit bull, "Ghost" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Paul Striegl - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Paul Striegl, 47-years old, died one month after being attacked by a pit bull on September 5. "Both arms" were "destroyed" by dog bites, states the police report. Doctors had to amputate one arm at the elbow. While hospitalized, multiple fungal infections set in. Striegl suffered heart, kidney and liver failure, and a collapsed lung before dying on October 1.

Jessica Wauters - Tomball, Texas

Dated photos of two family rottweilers on victim’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Jessica Wauters - fatal rottweiler attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Jessica Wauters, 59-years old, was killed by one of her three rottweilers in her backyard. Her injuries "were consistent with an attack by the rottweiler dog," police said. The suspected rottweiler was "put away" at the scene. The other two were also euthanized. Wauters' had been raising and breeding rottweilers for over a decade, according to her Facebook page.

Lovell Anderson - Detroit, Michigan

Photos of two pit bulls seized after the fatal attack (news media)

Lovell Anderson - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Lovell Anderson, 4-years old, was killed by an unsecured pit bull while playing in his own fenced-in backyard. The dog grabbed the child through a gap under the fence, pulled him to the other side, then attacked him. He died at the scene. Detroit Animal Care and Control confiscated two pit bulls (tan and white and tan). One is believed to be the culprit.

James McCool

Photos of the primary breeding lines on the kennel property (social media & dogsbite.org)

James McCool - fatal pit bull pack attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | James McCool, 39-years old, was killed by a dog pack belonging to his cousin on October 29, 2023 in Star City, Arkansas. Scott McCool owns and operates Copperhead Road Kennels, which "specialize in breeding guard dogs and American pit bull terriers," states its YouTube channel. Authorities charged Scott with manslaughter in connection to his death.

Colton Kline - Spokane, Washington

Photos of fatally attacking adopted pit bull-mix, "Spud" (social media, supplied & dogsbite.org)

Colton Kline - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Colton Kline, 4-years old, was killed by a family pit bull-mix. Kline was staying with his grandmother on Halloween when the dog attacked. Her boyfriend had adopted "Spud" two months earlier from Spokane Regional Animal Protection Service. "Despite the efforts of first responders, the child succumbed to their injuries," states a release from Spokane city.

Makai Williams

Photos of fatally attacking American XL bullies, "Bruno" and "Rock" (dogsbite.org FOIA)

Makai Williams - fatal American XL bully attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Makai Williams, 15-years old, died three days after being attacked by two American bully-mix dogs. Police were dispatched to the 9300 block of East 77th Street where they found Williams lying on the kitchen floor with head trauma. There were several people at the scene who police presumed to be family members. Williams had attended Raytown South High School.

Sau Nguyen - Houston, Texas

Photo of dog pack (4 of 7 dogs) that authorities seized after the attack (news media)

Sau Nguyen - fatal dog pack attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Sau Nguyen, 79-years old, was found dead in a bayou with multiple dog bites by her son. Pct. 1 Constable Alan Rosen tweeted out, "Preliminary info victim deceased of many dog bites." Seven dogs were seized from a single residence. The pack had a history of running at large, attacking neighbors and killing one or more pet dogs in the area, according to neighbors.

Leo Caddel - Chelsea, Alabama

Photos of female wolf-dog hybrid, "Kuna" on owner’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Infant John Doe - fatal wolf-dog hybrid attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Leo Caddel, 3-months old, was killed by a pet wolf-dog hybrid. "The animal is described as a wolf-hybrid and was reportedly kept as a pet by the family of the infant," states a news release from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. The animal was euthanized at the scene by a veterinarian. Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer said the infant's death is just "unthinkable."

Loyalty Scott - Portland, Oregon

Photos of two mastiff-mixes on dog owner’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Loyalty Scott - fatal mastiff-mix attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Loyalty Scott, 6-years old, was killed by a pair of mastiff-mixes while visiting a woman's home. The woman is a friend of the boy's grandmother, who routinely dropped Scott off at the woman's house prior to school. On that morning, when the woman entered the garage to tend to her large dogs, Scott opened the door behind her and one of the dogs attacked him.

Beverly Hayden - Cass County, Indiana

Photos of fatally attacking male, family pit bull, "Oden" (social media & dogsbite.org)

Beverly Hayden - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Beverly Hayden, 89-years old, was killed by a pit bull in her living room. A family member was present but "unable to prohibit the attack." The dog fled the home afterward. A "large-scale search" was conducted, including deploying a police drone, to locate the dog to no avail. The male pit bull, "Oden," was eventually located one-half mile away from Hayden's home.

Adult John Doe - Yuma County, Arizona

Photo of fatally attacking male pit bull (sheriff’s office)

Adult John Doe - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Adult John Doe, 59-years old, was killed by a vicious pit bull. "The initial investigation revealed a male victim, 59, was attacked the night prior by a canine and sustained fatal injuries," states a release from the Yuma County Sheriff's Office. The dog was killed after it ran into traffic on Interstate 8. The same pit bull had attacked another man six months earlier.

Alexander Torres - Miami, Florida

Photos of male, brindle pit bull-mix on victim’s Facebook page (social media & dogsbite.org)

Alexander Torres - fatal pit bull attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

See: Full blog post | Alexander Torres, 29-years old, was discovered dead in his garage with numerous dog bites on December 19, 2023 at his home in Miami, Florida. Torres lived alone with the dog and had a disability, family members said. A medium-sized male, brindle dog, described as a "terrier-mix" by Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS) was removed from the residence.

Post Publication Identification Photographs

Breed identification photographs discovered after the publication of this post on January 30, 2024. These photographs are not included in our overall analysis; they were unavailable at that time.

Child John Doe - Hahira, Georgia

Photos of fatally attacking American bulldog-mix, "Petey" (dogsbite.org FOIA)

Child John Doe - fatal American bulldog attack, 2023 breed identification photograph

FOIA Only | Child John Doe, 1-year old, was killed by a family dog at a residence in the 6000 block of Union Road on October 24, 2023 in Hahira, Georgia. His grandmother, who owned the dog, was also injured in the attack, requiring hospital treatment. The dog, "Petey," was a 6-year old male, unneutered American bulldog-mix. There were no media reports about this attack.

How We Track Photograph Sources

We track the identification photograph's original source. There may be multiple images of a dog, thus multiple sources may be attributed to a single death. We also track where the image was published. For instance, after Stanley Hartt's death, media obtained images from the dog owner's social media pages and police lapel video. We obtained an image of the sire of one of the dogs on the owner's Facebook page. Thus, the images were sourced to news media, social media, police and DogsBite.org.

What is simpler to measure in our tracking and analysis is the rising number of breed identification photographs located on the dog owner's or family member's social media pages, from only 16% of all collected images in 2013 to 76% in 2023, a 375% rise. It is also easy to see the small number of images provided by law enforcement even though most dogs after a fatal attack are held in a quarantine facility. Police released identification images after 3 deaths this year, 8%, of cases with images.

Photograph Tracking Categories

  • DogsBite.org published only; no news media republished the photograph
  • U.S. news media supplied original photograph and/or republished photograph
  • Social media website supplied breed identification photograph
  • Law enforcement or animal control department supplied photograph
  • Canines shot to death at the scene of a fatal dog attack
  • Canines held in a quarantine facility after a fatal dog attack
2023 breed identification images DogsBite v media capture rate

Chart shows the increasing number of breed identity images captured by our nonprofit.

1The number of breeds is greater than the number of deaths because 2 of the 4 deaths involved multiple breeds.
2There were three cases in 2023 (Dezmond Trawick, Tamieka White, and Rita Vasquez) where property information was known, but dog ownership was not. This is because the victim was dog sitting at the victim's home. This is an off-property attack because the dog did not live at that home. The dog belonged to a person the police did not identify, therefore, social media accounts could not be located.
3The deaths of Duane Osadchuk, Glennaroy Blackwelder, Donovan Brooks, and James McCool.

Related articles:
01/20/23: 2022 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs - DogsBite.org
01/12/22: 2021 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs - DogsBite.org
01/12/21: 2020 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs - DogsBite.org
04/23/18: Fatal Wolf-Dog Hybrid Attacks - The Archival Record - DogsBite.org
08/31/15: Who Can Identify a Pit Bull? A Dog Owner of 'Ordinary Intelligence'...

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.

Review: Three Dog Bite Fatalities Between 2022-2023 in the United States Unreported by Media

12

Dog Bite Fatalities Between 2022-2023 in the United States Unreported by Media
Review: Three dog bite fatalities between 2022-2023 unreported by media.

DogsBite.org - We summarize three cases of people killed by dogs between 2022 and 2023, where no media reports or police press releases were published. Our discovery of each death came from a citizen who contacted us. We then submitted FOIA requests to the responding sheriff's offices. Two deaths occurred in Florida; 2 deaths occurred in rural areas (< 5,000 population); 2 deaths involved men 68-years and older, and all 3 deaths occurred on the owner's property and involved family dogs.

Multiple cases remain pending, including 3 dog bite fatalities in 2023, and at least 2 deaths in 2022 that lacked media reports. Additional John and Jane Doe cases have been reported to us since 2020 that we cannot FOIA due to lack of information. In 2021, we recorded 6 unconfirmed deaths, which we define as, "a high probability of a fatal dog mauling given the information we have received, but a low to zero probability of our obtaining confirmation" due to an inability to FOIA or state privacy laws."1

Since 2011, we have obtained verification for 26 non-media reported dog bite fatalities. 54% of these deaths occurred after the onset of the pandemic in 2020, when media reports and police press releases of fatal dog attacks declined, but the attacks escalated. Even CDC issued a report last fall showing the increasing number of people killed by dogs. Of the 26 verified cases without media reports, 77% involved a family dog killing a household member and 73% involved 1 or more pit bulls.

Baby Charlotte

3-months old
Gulf Breeze, Florida
January 25, 2022

Summary: Baby Charlotte, 3-months old, was killed by a family dog. Santa Rosa County sheriff's office deputies were dispatched to the 2700 block of Sanibel Place at approximately 11:48 am in response to a dog bite to an infant. Upon arrival, deputies observed EMS preparing to transport the baby to Baptist Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The autopsy report listed cause of death as "multiple bite force traumatic injuries of the head." The manner of death was an accident. During a sworn audio recorded interview conducted with the infant's mother, she told the deputy that the female French mastiff-mix, "Roxy," had not been aggressive with anyone. Prior to the attack, the mother was lying in bed with her baby, who was sleeping. She got up to use the bathroom and left Charlotte on the bed. About a minute later, she heard a noise coming from the bedroom. She exited the bathroom and saw Charlotte's head in the dog's mouth. The mother swatted at the dog, causing it to drop her baby. She then called 911. There were no media reports about this attack.

"She was in the bathroom for approximately a minute before she heard a sound coming from the bedroom. xxxxxx described it as a noise coming from the bed which Charlotte would not have been capable of producing. She came out of the bathroom and observed Charlotte’s head in Roxy’s mouth. xxxxxx swatted at Roxy which caused her to drop Charlotte and then ran out of the room ... I attended Charlotte’s autopsy and observed her injuries after the bandages were removed. Charlotte had a deep penetrating wound on the left side of her head ... There were other smaller penetrating wounds around this wound. There were corresponding wounds on the bottom of her head which also penetrated her skull. It appeared her injuries were from multiple bite marks and not a single bite." - Portions of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Incident Report

Ronald Adams

79-years old
Lake Placid, Florida
September 7, 2022

Summary: Ronald Adams, 79-years old, was killed by his newly adopted pit bulls. Highlands County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 600 block of Bell Place at 2:12 pm to conduct a welfare check. Adams was found dead on the dining room floor. "The decedent's right arm had its flesh removed to the bone from the shoulder to the hand," states a report from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. Two pit bull-mixes were inside the home. The male dog was covered "from the face towards it's tail with blood." A day earlier, the dogs had killed a cat at the residence. Both dogs had recently been adopted from the Humane Society of Highlands County, where Adams had been a volunteer in the past. He "had to stop due to health issues," states the report. Adams died of "multiple lacerations and puncture wounds to upper limbs with loss of soft tissue and muscle due to being attacked by canine(s)." A contributing factor was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, states the report. The manner of death was an accident. There were no media reports about this attack.

"xxxxxx stated the decedent recently adopted a dog from the Highlands County Humane Society and made the comment, "I hope the dog didn't get him". xxxxxx advised the decedent already had a dog who was friendly but the dog he recently adopted could be aggressive. She further advised the decedent went to the hospital a few weeks ago because one of the dogs knocked him over and he hit his head as a result of the fall. xxxxxx stated there was also an incident yesterday where the adopted dog had killed a cat at the residence ... While speaking with the neighbor who requested the welfare check, xxxxxx, she advised Ronald had recently adopted two large dogs from the humane society and she was in fear that the dogs were too much for Ronald ... An unhooked dog collar was found next to Ronald's body ... The male dog was missing his collar, this leads me to believe the male dog is the one that attacked Ronald." - Portions of the Highlands County Sheriff's Office's Incident Report

Additional Details

Based upon narratives provided in the GoFundMe and the sheriff's report, it was roughly a two week period between the adoption and the fatal attack.2 As seen in a 2016 Facebook post, the couple had owned a rescue pit bull before. But this time, and at the age of 79, Adams adopted two large pit bull-mixes while his partner was away. During that time, he underwent a hospital visit because one of the dogs knocked him down, the dogs killed a cat at his home and one day later, they killed Adams.

The Humane Society of Highlands County (HSHC) is a "no-kill for space" nonprofit that "strives to provide temporary safe refuge for the unwanted animals of Highlands County," states their tax filings. They do not receive government funding. But with revenue of over $1 million annually and 1,431 adoptions in 2022, they qualify for our list. HSHC now joins 17 tax-funded shelters in the United States since 2014 that have adopted out or transferred a dog to a rescue that subsequently killed a person.

Shelter Dog-Inflicted Deaths (Tax-Funded)

Shelter Dog-Inflicted Deaths (Private-Funded)

  • 2022 - Humane Society of Highlands County (FL) - Ronald Adams, 79-years old

Duane Osadchuk

68-years old
Warren, Texas
February 10, 2023

Summary: Duane Osadchuk, 68-years old, was mauled and killed by multiple dogs. The fatal attack occurred inside a residence at around 2:00 pm in the 200 block of County Road 4777 in Warren, where Osadchuk had been staying. The autopsy report from the Forensic Medical Management Services of Beaumont states the cause of death was "multiple sharp and blunt force injuries." The manner of death "is best deemed accident," states the report. On August 9, 2023 the Tyler County Sheriff's Office denied our nonprofit's public information request, stating the case was still pending. About a year before the fatal dog mauling of Osadchuk, at the same residence, Tyler County sheriff's deputies issued a dangerous dog citation to then 44-year old Robert Gryder for multiple loose and aggressive dogs, an episode that was captured on an outdoor surveillance camera. There were no media reports about this fatal attack when it occurred. A local resident reported it to our nonprofit on February 12, 2023. Osadchuk, originally from North Dakota, was a United States Army veteran.

Additional Details

Some days after the East Texas News article was published, Gryder posted to his Facebook page, "F##king weirdos put me in the news paper behind 14 dogs that I had to TERMINATE immediately IN FRONT OF THE SHERIFF'S" (sic). He claimed that his dogs -- which are large mixed-breeds3 -- only chased squirrels and that he had cameras all around his house. "NOT ONE TIME HAVE MY DOGS TRIED TO ATTACK OR PLAY WITH THE KIDS WALKING FROM SCHOOL OR GETTING OFF THE BUS!"

In a foreshadowing moment, two days before the fatal attack, Gryder shared more about his routine. He explains that between 6:30 am to 7:45 am and 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm, while children walk to and from the bus stop, he secures his pack of 14 dogs. "After 4:45 they get to run the yard," he wrote. "Be aware of your surroundings, and the people around you," he wrote. But apparently be mindless to an elderly person in your own home with your dog pack that he describes as his "football team of dogs."

Gryder's rental property on County Road 4777 adjoins the Watson Rare Native Plant Preserve, which is a mix of Big Thicket habitats on the east side of Lake Hyatt. One year before the fatal attack, surveillance cameras from the Watson Preserve captured Gryder's dogs bolt off-property and menace a group of volunteers at the preserve. At least six volunteers filed complaints to the Tyler County Sheriff's Office (TCSO), which is when deputies issued Gryder the dangerous dog citation.

A Tyler County Commissioners Court was held on August 14, 2023. Watson Preserve board members Jim Willis and Pauline Singleton spoke at the meeting. Gryder's dogs had been harassing people on the preserve since 2021. Repeated complaints about his aggressive dog pack had been made to authorities to no avail, the dogs killed a man inside Gryder's home in February 2023, yet the problem persisted. After Gryder shot all or most of his pack of 14 dogs on February 10, he acquired new dogs.

Our FOIA to TCSO was denied on August 9, 2023, citing "a pending case." It was denied again on November 20, citing "this case was turned over to the district attorney." The good news, is that on November 17, Gryder and his girlfriend were evicted, "due to unfortunate circumstances." Suddenly, they had to get rid of their 11 dogs, which they falsely claimed were "rescue dogs." Hopefully now, volunteers and visitors to the Watson Preserve will no longer be harassed by Gryder's pack of dogs.

"There were at least 6 of us who filled out complaint forms and turned them over to the sheriff’s deputy who was sent out in response to a phone call ... Evidently a ticket was written for a dangerous dog. The deputy told us there was nothing that law enforcement could do until the dogs' bit somebody. Well, they finally did. I want to summarize some of the pathologist’s findings. There were lacerations on both hands, predominantly on the dorsal side of the hands ... There were 48 lacerations/tears and puncture wounds on face, neck, forehead and scalp. There were punctures on the chest, back and abdomen. A 12-inch tear on the abdomen exposed his intestine ... Both arms had the muscle torn off exposing the bones. A foot had crushed bones and toes missing. This man died a terrible death." - Portions of Pauline Singleton's statement

Summary

As one can see, even when we do have enough information to submit a FOIA, it can still be denied. This is due to that state's public records act -- some states even block out-of-state requests. The most common denials are due to an "ongoing criminal investigation" or privacy laws. Two of the cases we summarized occurred in Florida, a state with a strong public records act. Two cases involved adult victims too, because cases involving minors are often protected by statutory privacy exemptions.

We are more likely to capture dog bite fatalities that are unreported by media when the victim is an adult (≥40) that resides in certain states.

Of the 26 non-media reported dog bite fatalities we have verified through FOIAs or other means since 2011, over half, 54%, occurred after the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, when media reports and police press releases of fatal dog maulings declined, but the number of attacks rose. 69% of these victims were 40-years and older. 50% of these victims resided in California, Florida, and Michigan, which are high population states, and for our purposes, have a good public records response rate.

Dog Bite Fatalities Between 2022-2023 in the United States Unreported by Media

Images from all three deaths. Ronald Adams (verified), Duane Osadchuk (verified), "Roxy" (verified) involved in baby Charlotte's death, and three images of dogs possibly involved in Osadchuk's death posted to the dog owner's Facebook page from 2019 through 2022.

1In addition to this, every year we capture critical injury cases (15-30 per year), most of which have unknown outcomes and unnamed victims. The cases often look like this: Racine police officers shot a dog that attacked it's 70-year old owner. The "70-year old female on the ground bleeding excessively," and "due to the severity of the female’s injuries she was air lifted to Milwaukee." Sometimes we can learn more if the family starts a GoFundme.
2From the GoFundMe: "My companion wanted to get another pit bull for over a year since we had put down both old dogs during the last year. I did NOT want another dog especially with the ferals and my little dog. I went out of town with my little dog to visit family and my companion was to care for cats for 2 weeks. He told neighbors he was scared to be home alone & was going to surprise me with a dog (he knew I didn’t want another dog hence the reason he never told me). He adopted 2 pit bulls (long story about why he ended up with 2) and the Tuesday before I was to return, the 2 dogs killed one feral cat. He didn’t tell me when I called to check in - he merely asked when I was coming home. The next day, Wednesday, around 4 pm I got a call from sheriff’s department that my companion was dead so I needed to come back immediately. I thought he had heart attack or the like. I was shocked to returned to a house full of blood. The dogs weren’t there & have since been put down (which also breaks my heart)."
3Since 2019, Gryder has posted multiples photos of his different packs of dogs. In 2019, it's a pack of pit bulls. The most recent possible pit bull-mix, "Big Hank" was posted on March 26, 2022 (5:46 am) -- later that same day (11:40 am) some of his dogs escape his property and harass volunteers at the preserve. On the Big Hank post, Gryer tags his buddies Black Diamond Kennels and Olympian Gamefarm -- both kennels breed and sell game-bred pit bulls, according to promotions on their Facebook pages. Black Diamond Kennels also appears in gamedog pedigrees, and a notable post, "Not for the Bshitters" published on December 22, 2022, which shows a bloody dogfighting pit and a game-bred pit bull. It's unclear if "Big Hank" came from either kennel, but Gryder is into "top of the line catch dogs." Gryder also has packs of tree walker coonhounds and catahoulas (and combinations thereof), all prior to the February 10, 2023 fatal dog attack. After he shot and killed most of his pack "IN FRONT OF THE SHERIFF'S," he acquired more dogs that his girlfriend called "catahoula and terrier."

Related articles:
02/12/24: Testimony from Duane Osadchuk's Brother Gary at Tyler County Commissioner's Court
04/18/23: Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2021 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate...
09/23/22: Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2020 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate...

2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Arkansas Man Arrested After Pack of Guarding Breeds and Pit Bulls Killed his Cousin

30

Copperhead road kennels fatal dog mauling
James McCool died after being attacked by a dog pack at Copperhead Road Kennels.

Dog Owner Arrested
Lincoln County, AR - On January 18, a kennel owner in Star City, Arkansas was arrested after authorities said his YouTube channel shows canines he trained to "attack in a pack like manner and have a prey drive at a young age" killed his cousin last year. Scott Alan McCool, 48, was booked into the Lincoln County Detention Center on a manslaughter charge in connection to the October 29, 2023 mauling death of 39-year old James Woodrow McCool. Scott is being held on a $25,000 bond.

According to an arrest affidavit, "The pack of dogs were allowed to run free in the yard, by Scott McCool." And "witnesses state that a person or animal cannot walk into Scott's yard without Scott being around, because the dogs will attack. Due to Scott McCool' s training practices and neglect to keep his dogs contained, his dogs mauled James McCool to death." On social media, the owner goes by Sam McCool who specializes in breeding "guard dogs, American pit bull terriers" and more.

The Copperhead Road Kennels YouTube channel shows a mixture of pit bull, American bully, Belgian malinois, cane corso, presa canario, Czechoslovakian wolfdog breeds, and their crosses. He also advertises bandogs in his breeding program. The kennel also has a TikTok page. One video shows the dog pack on a porch with the voice over "security system engaged." Another shows the dog pack tearing up and eating a deer carcass. There are enough videos to keep you occupied for hours.

McCool's Facebook page has lots of gems too, including one post that points out a fully falsified pedigree from the American Bully Kennel Club. "I'm tryna figure out why somebody gonna push ABKC American Bully paperwork with a ped full of gamedogs from the 50's and 60's and it ain't even hung right (sic)," Scott wrote. One person comments, "Dave Wilson is the biggest baddest paper hanger ever lol not even surprised!" Scott seems to know the historical game-bred pedigrees quite well.

Several dogs from Copperhead Road Kennels, including "S.MCCOOL' STUMP" are listed on a pedigree game dog website. "Owned by Sam McCool favorite dog very game. Dead game!" Stump died in 2019. He was a "foundation male to many kennels," states the notes. "S.MCCOOL' HAZEL" is seen on McCool's Facebook page. Hazel is a "Grand champion OREBA," states the notes, which is a registry for protection and working bull breeds, like pit bulls, American bullies, mastiffs and bandogs.1

Information about the victim is less known. A family member posted about his death on October 29. She also commented on the KATV Facebook post. "My uncle couldn't walk, he was born with a rare medical condition that made his muscles weak and left him not able to move his legs in his late 20s. Them dogs not only killed a man, they pulled him out of his wheelchair and killed him with him unable to defend himself in any way," she wrote. Her family is "heart broken, and we absolutely want justice."

Third Case Charged in Arkansas

The criminal charges against McCool marks the third set of charges in Arkansas in connection to a 2023 fatal dog mauling. In October, Chris Scott was charged with negligent homicide after 60-year old Brenda Witt was killed by five pit bull-mix dogs in Texarkana. In August, Blytheville police charged David Veasey, 43, with two counts of felony aggravated assault and other charges after his three pit bulls mauled 93-year old Jeane Bennett in June. She died while hospitalized two months later.

Copperhead road kennels fatal dog mauling

Several dog breed lines of Scott McCool at Copperhead Road Kennels in Star City, Arkansas.2

Scott (Sam) McCool Stumpline genetics

A 2020 post by Dog Husbandry Blacklist shows that McCool believes aggression is genetic. 

1On January 21, the Orebaregistry sent us a nasty email because the pedigree website (pedigree.gamedogs.cz) contained inaccuracies, according to them. The pedigree website pages for "Stump" and "Hazel" have since been hidden by the pedigree website. We have replaced those pages with PDF files of the originals. Here's what the email said: "You people better get your information right. You morons and idiots are known liars. S.MCCOL HAZEL is registered with ADBA not with us. Get this in your small yellow bus head. You clown assuming we are with this Sam MCCOOL men. But we aren’t with him and never call his dogs Grand champion with my Club. You people better stop before I suit you." It's unclear if the same vitriol was unleashed on the SOURCE of the issue (pedigree.gamedogs.cz).
2The primary breeding lines are the "Stump" and "Hazel" pit bull working lines, as depicted in the pedigrees. The bullherders, as McCool coined them, are Belgian malinois mixed with pit bull, cane corso (and other mastiffs) and a dash of Czechoslovakian wolfdog. McCool also keeps one or more traditional purebred pit bull terriers in his "yard."
map iconView the DogsBite.org Google Map: Arkansas Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Related articles:
10/13/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Killed by Multiple Dogs in Texarkana; Found Dead...
08/17/23: 2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Blytheville Woman Mauled by Three Pit Bulls in June Dies...

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.