Dog Decapitated By Chainsaw, Head Thrown At Family
- by: Lynn B. Price
- recipient: Matthew Johnson, County Attorney - Jefferson County Attorney's Office
We hope to help ensure that Gunner's killer stays behind bars and is vigorously prosecuted to the maximum extent allowed by law, and that he is banned from ever owning or having access to animals again.
A Butte, Montana family who planned to spend this
past Labor Day weekend camping, instead found themselves grieving the horrific
death of their pet chocolate Lab.
past Labor Day weekend camping, instead found themselves grieving the horrific
death of their pet chocolate Lab.
John Sullivan said that his
4-year-old chocolate lab, Gunner, was killed on Sept 3, 2005 after his parents,
Mike and Brenda Sullivan of Butte, took him along with them for a holiday
weekend camping trip. The dog's head, severed by a chainsaw, was thrown at the
couple on that Saturday afternoon by a man in an orange pickup who also shouted
expletives as he drove by, he said.
4-year-old chocolate lab, Gunner, was killed on Sept 3, 2005 after his parents,
Mike and Brenda Sullivan of Butte, took him along with them for a holiday
weekend camping trip. The dog's head, severed by a chainsaw, was thrown at the
couple on that Saturday afternoon by a man in an orange pickup who also shouted
expletives as he drove by, he said.
Jefferson County Sheriff
Craig Doolittle confirmed Sullivan's story, calling the incident "a first" in
his law enforcement experience.
Craig Doolittle confirmed Sullivan's story, calling the incident "a first" in
his law enforcement experience.
John Sullivan described
Gunner as a friendly dog who liked to run and was no threat or bother to anyone.
Gunner as a friendly dog who liked to run and was no threat or bother to anyone.
Arrested in connection with
the dog's death and on several other charges was John Russell Howald, 30, of
Basin, MT. who is being held on $100,000 bond in Jefferson County jail in
Boulder. According to court reports, Howland admitted to authorities that he chopped
off Gunner's head with a chainsaw. Police found blood and
fur in his orange truck, reports said.
the dog's death and on several other charges was John Russell Howald, 30, of
Basin, MT. who is being held on $100,000 bond in Jefferson County jail in
Boulder. According to court reports, Howland admitted to authorities that he chopped
off Gunner's head with a chainsaw. Police found blood and
fur in his orange truck, reports said.
Howald's arrest came on
Sunday following a report of a vehicle accident in that same area. Howald was
apparently attempting to pull a stuck truck out with his truck when police
approached him. When confronted, Howald allegedly fired shots into the air and
was arrested.
Sunday following a report of a vehicle accident in that same area. Howald was
apparently attempting to pull a stuck truck out with his truck when police
approached him. When confronted, Howald allegedly fired shots into the air and
was arrested.
In addition, Howald is
facing more charges because he is also accused of hitting a Whitehall boy in the
head with a beer bottle, leading to a confrontation with that boy's father that
same weekend.
Howald was charged Tuesday with various felony and
misdemeanor counts in Jefferson County, including aggravated animal cruelty,
attempted animal cruelty, felony criminal endangerment and two counts of
intimidation.
facing more charges because he is also accused of hitting a Whitehall boy in the
head with a beer bottle, leading to a confrontation with that boy's father that
same weekend.
Howald was charged Tuesday with various felony and
misdemeanor counts in Jefferson County, including aggravated animal cruelty,
attempted animal cruelty, felony criminal endangerment and two counts of
intimidation.
Gunner's owner, who wanted to find Howald
Saturday night but was urged to wait and call police, is pleased that Howald is
behind bars and wants him to stay there.
Saturday night but was urged to wait and call police, is pleased that Howald is
behind bars and wants him to stay there.
"I want him to go
to prison, to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," he said.
As you undoubtedly know,
the connection between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence has been
established for many years. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Allen Brantley was
quoted as saying "Animal cruelty... is not a harmless venting of emotion in a
healthy individual; this is a warning sign." Howald's actions in this case meet
several of the factors that are considered high-risk for future violence against
humans, as outlined by Dr. Randall
Lockwood, and he has already repeatedly demonstrated that his usual reaction to
frustration is violence.
the connection between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence has been
established for many years. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Allen Brantley was
quoted as saying "Animal cruelty... is not a harmless venting of emotion in a
healthy individual; this is a warning sign." Howald's actions in this case meet
several of the factors that are considered high-risk for future violence against
humans, as outlined by Dr. Randall
Lockwood, and he has already repeatedly demonstrated that his usual reaction to
frustration is violence.
This man has allegedly shown himself to be a
danger to humans as well as unbelievably cruel to an animal. We hope to help
ensure that Gunner's killer stays behind bars and is vigorously prosecuted to
the maximum extent allowed by law, and that he is banned from ever owning or
having access to animals again.
danger to humans as well as unbelievably cruel to an animal. We hope to help
ensure that Gunner's killer stays behind bars and is vigorously prosecuted to
the maximum extent allowed by law, and that he is banned from ever owning or
having access to animals again.
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