The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Dog killer never found
By Austen Smith, Editor
PUBLISHED: February 28, 2008
The suspect behind a string of animal beheadings and mutilations that occurred throughout March of 2006, has not been found despite the Huron Valley Humane Society now offering a reward of $20,000 for information leading to the killer.
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Julie Curtis, senior cruelty investigator for the HSHV, said after their final press release was distributed in June 2006, the trail has unfortunately gone cold and they haven't received any new information or leads regarding the bizarre case that plagued Superior Township residents for more than a month.
"It seemed like for a while we were finding a new (animal carcass) every few days or so," Curtis said. "But it's strange, because when the media attention started to die down, then the suspect basically just stopped."
In all, there were more than 40 animal carcasses found within the surrounding area of Geddes, LeForge and Harris Roads in Superior. The first dog was found near Harris and Geddes roads on March 16, 2006, bound with duct tape around its feet and decapitated. There also were five skinned coyote carcasses at the site. At first, investigators from the HSHV as well as the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department weren't sure if the suspect might be an animal trapper who was leaving carcasses around the area because the Michigan trapping season runs from Oct. 1 to March 15. But after more dead domesticated dogs were found decapitated and mutilated, they were quick to add an additional detective to the case and raised the amount of the cash reward leading to the suspect.
Curtis said this case reaches farther than most people realiz because it has been well documented that there is a real link between animal cruelty and violence to humans. Curtis said while they were conducting a psychological profile of the suspect, they continually ran into research about Cleveland-based serial killer and cannibal Jeffery Dahmer.
"In our research, we found that (Dahmer) was doing the same things to dogs before he moved on to people," Curtis said. "Dahmer would decapitate dogs and put their heads on sticks in his backyard. It was very disturbing."
Animal cruelty is a felony charge punishable by up to four years in prison.
For more information on this case or the plight of animal cruelty, call HSHV at 1-734-662-5585. To report possible animal cruelty, call the Cruelty Hotline at 1-734-662-5585 ext. 112.
INFO BOX:
ON THE TRAIL
n March 16, 2006: A Rottweiler was found decapitated, along with a number of skinned animal carcasses, at a site near Harris and Geddes roads.
n March 22, 2006: A female terrier mix was found decapitated near Gotfredson and Vreeland roads in rural Superior Township. A second case of another decapitated animal was found just two miles from the Rottweiler found just days before.
n March 26, 2006: Two more decapitated dogs and two dead foxes were found near Geddes and Harris roads.
n March 28, 2006: Another domesticated dog was found shot in the back of the head, in addition to two more dead Rottweilers found near the scene, however these carcasses were not decapitated.
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