22 year old woman mauled to death by her own dogs.

[Celista]

Pictures in link. http://wric.com/2017/12/15/sheriff-g...h-by-own-dogs/

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A medical examiner has determined that the 22-year-old woman who was found dead in a wooded area of eastern Goochland County was mauled to death by her own dogs.

Goochland County Sheriff’s Office says deputies received a call at 8:18 p.m. Thursday night from a man who discovered the woman’s body in a remote area in the 2200 block of Manakin Road. Deputies investigated the area overnight for several hours into Friday morning.

On Friday, police identified the woman as 22-year-old Bethany Stephens. Goochland County Sheriff Jim Agnew described Stephens as ‘petite,’ and said the dogs were between 100-120 pounds.

When deputies found her body, they said she had suffered ‘severe trauma’ and was being guarded by the two dogs.

Police said Stephens grew up in Goochland but lived in Glen Allen. She was in the area visiting with her father.

The medical examiner said Stephens had defensive wounds on her hands and arms from fighting off the dogs. The examiner said this proves she was alive when she was attacked.

Police do not believe this to be a homicide but are waiting on toxicology reports to make a determination.

Meanwhile, one of the Stephens’ best friends said she does not believe the animals would have done anything to hurt her, considering that she had raised them since they were puppies.

“I wasn’t able to see the body, so I can’t tell you what happened. I can’t tell you if it was a blunt force or if it was a mauling, but I know those dogs didn’t do it,” Barbara Norris said.

Friends say Stephens had recently been receiving death threats prior to the incident, which is another reason why they question whether the dogs were to blame.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office is working to have the dogs euthanized.

Interesting case, would make sense that the dogs might have been defending her from something but usually bite mark IDs are pretty conclusive. I wonder why she was getting death threats?

[GennGreymane]

I do not want to click to see pictures in that link.

[Celista]

I do not want to click to see pictures in that link.

It's just photos of the woman and her dogs, not of the death scene.

[GennGreymane]

It's just photos of the woman and her dogs, not of the death scene.

I dont trust you

[Celista]

I dont trust you

Understandable, I'm pretty sneaky.

[endersblade]

Smells fishy.

[Deleted]

This case is so weird - it's like they don't even know for sure what happened?! I mean why not just examining the dogs? If they mauled her it should be quite obvious...

Very strange tbh.

[Moozart]

Pictures in link. http://wric.com/2017/12/15/sheriff-g...h-by-own-dogs/


Interesting case, would make sense that the dogs might have been defending her from something but usually bite mark IDs are pretty conclusive. I wonder why she was getting death threats?

Its all we heard on the news today, I am about 45 minutes out from there.

[Celista]

Its all we heard on the news today, I am about 45 minutes out from there.

Did the news say anything about the nature of the death threats?

[Doranian123]

Unfortunate photos they used of her, and her friend sounded high as a kite in that interview

[Rooflesstoofless]

Let me guess, sheep dogs? Chihuahuas?

[Moozart]

Did the news say anything about the nature of the death threats?

No as they had nothing to do with what happened, they found the victims blood and skin in the mouths of the dogs. Initially some of the locals thought she may had been attacked by coyotes as we have had issues with them this year however the dogs had no defensive wounds, the would had surly fought to protect their owner. After finding the evidence on the dogs however it was pretty clear what had happened.

The sick part is the friends trying to use her death to pin it on innocent people.

- - - Updated - - -

Unfortunate photos they used of her, and her friend sounded high as a kite in that interview

Not sure what was wrong with the photos, they were standard run of the mill pics

[Celista]

Let me guess, sheep dogs? Chihuahuas?

The video says they're pit bulls but they look like mixes to me. They're also much larger than typical pit bulls (100-120 lbs).

- - - Updated - - -

No as they had nothing to do with what happened, they found the victims blood and skin in the mouths of the dogs. Initially some of the locals thought she may had been attacked by coyotes as we have had issues with them this year however the dogs had no defensive wounds, the would had surly fought to protect their owner. After finding the evidence on the dogs however it was pretty clear what had happened.

The sick part is the friends trying to use her death to pin it on innocent people.

Yeah. I feel like a medical examiner would be able to positively ID the species of the bite marks, they're usually pretty distinct and a lack of defensive wounds on the dogs is telling.

RIP.

[akredon]

This is really Weird. Like if you have had a dog since a puppy baring from abuse Which doesn't look like that is possible. something Fishy is at work. And i know some times the simplest answer is the correct one but. i just find it really hard to believe that her own dogs... since she had since they were puppies murdered their own owner...

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

lol Goochland Sheriff's Department

[Bigbazz]

Smells too fishy, why would dogs maul their owner to death and then guard the body? And she raised those dogs from puppies, they would be fiercly loyal to her unless there is some untold information clouding this story.

[Queen of Hamsters]

This is really Weird. Like if you have had a dog since a puppy baring from abuse Which doesn't look like that is possible. something Fishy is at work. And i know some times the simplest answer is the correct one but. i just find it really hard to believe that her own dogs... since she had since they were puppies murdered their own owner...

Either way, if the dogs did this it wouldn't be a case of murder.

As for the original post, seems far-fetched that someone had her mauled by some other dogs, and then brought her own dogs to take the blame in the case of her receiving death threats. I hope they thoroughly investigate it though, rather than just go with the easy scapegoats... IE dogs of a certain type.

[Celista]

This is really Weird. Like if you have had a dog since a puppy baring from abuse Which doesn't look like that is possible. something Fishy is at work. And i know some times the simplest answer is the correct one but. i just find it really hard to believe that her own dogs... since she had since they were puppies murdered their own owner...

Behavior in animals is roughly 50/50 genetics + environment. But I am uncertain what would trigger this behavior in dogs out in the woods with their owner, unless they were protecting the owner from something OR prey drive kicked in (could be as simple as the owner was running/flailing arms). There's a reason that you have to train dogs not to nip/go after joggers or cars as a puppy.

Given the size of the dogs and the type of breed, I wonder if it is possible they were trained for protection purposes (obviously poorly).

[xenogear3]

It's just photos of the woman and her dogs, not of the death scene.

You got me fooled.
I will have nightmare tonight !

These are not dogs. They are wolves.

[kasuke06]

Smells too fishy, why would dogs maul their owner to death and then guard the body? And she raised those dogs from puppies, they would be fiercly loyal to her unless there is some untold information clouding this story.

Dogs guard their food. just like when that video went viral about a dog "protecting" a lobster the family was going to cook. nope. it found food and it wasn't going to share.