Dog Pack Murder: Pitbull Owner Arrested In Death Of California Jogger

A 29-year-old California man faces murder charges stemming from a gruesome attack perpetrated on an elderly neighborhood woman by his four pit bulls.

According to The Denver Post, owner Alex Jackson was charged after DNA tests on his dogs found blood on their muzzles and coats that matched that of 63-year-old jogger Pamela Devitt, who perished after being bitten as many as 150 to 200 times by the vicious animals.

Sheriff spokesman Steve Whitmore said this marks the area’s first dog mauling murder charge since the 2001 trial of a San Francisco couple convicted in the death of a neighbor who was mauled by their giant pet dog.

In that case, Marjorie Knoller received a 15-years-to-life sentence after a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder and her husband, Noel, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Majorie Knoller’s appeal was also later rejected by the California Supreme Court on the grounds she acted with a conscious disregard for human life when her 140-pound Presa Canario escaped and attacked Diane Whipple in an apartment building hallway.

"The DNA came back with blood on the dogs that matched the victim's blood," he told The Post of the Devitt case, adding that Jackson also faces owner negligence charges and allegations of growing marijuana.

Jackson was originally arrested shortly after the May 9 death of Devitt but was released on bail pending DNA testing to determine if his dogs carried out the attack. He is now being held on $1 million bail and was scheduled for arraignment Friday. Since January, authorities said they have received at least three other reports of Jackson’s dogs attacking other people.

According to Donald Cleary, a spokesman with the National Canine Research Council, dog bite-related fatalities are rare, with just 30 to 35 taking place each year. More and more, however,   charges such as endangerment are being filed against owners, he said, adding that he recalls three other instances---two in California and one in Georgia---where murder charges were filed.

In the Devitt case, an arriving deputy saw a single dog still attacking the runner and tried to chase it off, only to be attacked by the animal himself. Hours later, sheriffs and animal control officials served a search warrant on Jackson's home and took away eight dogs, six pit bulls and two mixed-breeds.

 

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