Justice for Rebel

On June 8th, 2015. around 3:10pm. I heard two gunshots come from outside my home. My daughter had gone out to ride her fourwheeler moments earlier so I of course dropped everything and ran to the door to see my neighbor.. John Lytle 259 County Road 125 East of Norris City, IL.. Walking back up his driveway towards his home with a rifle in his hand..

Back story- When I first moved to this home I thought it was perfect. 80 acres in the country for my two dogs and two children to have free range. I didn't take into consideration the neighbor, straight across the street from my new "dream home". Not long after moving in, the police were called to my house. According to Mr. Lytle, my Pit Bull Rebel, had shown agressing towards him. I agreed to keep my dogs off his property. I kept true to my word with the exception of two occasions.. One where my daughters Dad had mistakenly let the dogs out (not knowing any better) and they followed him to the highway and into the neighboring street. The police again were called but not for any aggression but because the particular home they were at didn't like dogs period. I took my dogs home and didn't have another incident where my dogs caused any kind of a "nuisance" for months. That is until June 8th. when my 7yr. old daughter, Summer, took Rebel outside to play with her while she rode her fourwheeler.. Obviously not know what her mistake was going to cost.

So here I am at the door watching Mr. Lytle walk away like nothing had happened, my friend, who had been over working on his truck, standing shocked at the end of our driveway and my poor daughter running full force from her abandoned fourwheeler to me.. I'll never forget her screams "Mommy I yelled for Rebel but he won't get up! He's just laying there where!!" Yeah, my innocent daughter had gotten her first glimpse at pure evil..she watched her best friend get shot in the side and die before her eyes. I've received no apology from the Lytle's and when I reached out for help from the local law enforcement.. I was highly disappointed and let down.

I called the Carmi White County Sheriffs Dept. To report what I thought was a serious crime, only to find out that Lytle had already called to let them know what he did..and they agreed that he was in the right. Mind=Blown. The only problem with the story Mr. Lytle gave the police is that he lied. Big time.

According to John Lytle, Rebel had him cornered on his front porch so he shot him to protect himself and he assured them that there was not a child in sight.

Firstly, two witnesses saw him shoot Rebel from the end of his driveway and I myself saw him walking up his driveway towards his home when I reached the front door. Rebel was found dead near the road in a small patch of trees.. Also by Lyle's driveway.
Secondly, it takes common sense to know that if a dog is attacking you, not only will you not have time to go inside and load a rifle but he would have been shot as if he was coming at him..the head, face, neck, chest..ext. Not on his side. 
Lastly, the photo I will attach with this post was taken right after the incident. You can clearly see my daughters four wheeler at the end of the driveway. There is no way Mr. Lytle didn't know a child was present yet he still discharged a firearm near her and inevitably put her in a position to watch her best friend and companion..murdered.

I've contacted the local police dept. Twice. The first time I talked to a deputy, Randy Graves, about the incident. He assured me nothing could be done. Later that evening I called back and requested someone come out so that I could file a report because I wasn't going to let the situation go. They let me know that I had to call back the following day to talk to Mr. Graves because he was the deputy I had previously talked to. In the mean time I called the State Police at District 19 outside Carmi, who wouldn't touch the case because I had already talked to the County Police. So I waited until the following morning and called back to the county police..Mr. Graves wasn't in but I did talk to Sheriff Doug Maier who had assured me that the report was sent to Denton Aud for review. ....how is this possible if I was yet to write a statement though? He also assured me that there was nothing that could be done but he would send a deputy out to get my statement since they couldn't make contact with me the day prior...what??..I talked to the police twice that day yet they had documented that they couldn't make contact with me?!

The case is currently waiting to be reviewed but in the mean time, they have not checked investigated the area that the crime was committed, talked to Mr. Lytle in person or confronted him about his obvious lies..as far as I know they haven't even checked to see if the weapons were legal.

Point is, not only has a very important member of our family been taken from us but none of the immediate area authorities are taking the situation seriously. Even though a rifle was fired not far at all from a 7yr old child!

I was given the option to sue John Lytle but I don't want his money. I want justice. I want something done so that, God forbid, my other dog or worse..my children.. Wonder into his yard someday, I don't want to have to worry about digging another grave.