In a rare occurrence, prosecutors have charged a Southern California man with murder in the mauling death of a woman in Littlerock, Calif.
Police said Thursday that Alex Johnson had been charged in an incident involving a pack of his pit bulls that attacked and killed a 63-year-old jogger May 9.
Pamela Devitt had been out for a jog not far from her home when a pack of four pit bulls attacked her, biting her between 150 to 200 times, killing her by sharp force trauma, the Associated Press reported.
A Los Angeles Country district attorney spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that Johnson, 29, could face up to life in prison if convicted.
Police seized eight dogs from his home, six being pit bulls and the other two being mixed breeds. Four dogs were believed to have killed Devitt as investigators found blood on their coats and muzzles, Lieutenant John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's homicide division told Reuters.
"The DNA came back with blood on the dogs that matched the victim's blood," said LA County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.
Some of the dogs were not spayed or neutered and were unlicensed, violating state and county law.
A passerby saw Devitt being attacked by the dogs and began honking her horn to get the dogs to stop as she called police. When officers arrived, one dog was found still biting Devitt and fled when an officer approached. It turned around as if preparing to attack the officer, who then fired a shot before the dog ran away.
Devitt died on the way to a local hospital due to blood loss.
Since January, police have received at least three reports of Johnson's dogs attacking people, which is part of the reason prosecutors are charging the owner with murder.
"We believe there was evidence that he was aware the dogs were vicious and they have attacked before and he knew of the danger they posed," Jane Robison, a district attorney's spokeswoman.
In cases of dog maulings, murder charges are rare, with the last case of such an instance being that of Marjorie Knoller in 2001. She received a 15 years to life sentence after a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder for disregarding the safety of others when her 140-pound Presa Canario escaped. The dog killed Diane Whipple in a hallway of the apartment complex where both lived.
Devitt's husband told reporters that he blames the dog's owner for what happened to his wife.
"I do not blame the dogs. I don't blame pit bulls," Ben Devitt said. "I blame people who don't take responsibility for their animals."
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