Jefferson County Man Says Family Pit Bulls Killed Wife
By: Deedra Wilson, KARK 4 News
Updated: September 14, 2012
A Jefferson County mother speaks out after her daughter may have been killed by her own pit bulls.
It happened Friday night near Redfield.
The woman's husband says he left for a little while, but when he returned he found his wife dead, and their two pit bulls hovering over her body.
The victim's mother says she had warned her daughter that pit bulls were not good dogs to have as pets, saying too that she felt the dogs would turn on her daughter one day.
"I don't feel like she needed the dogs," said Patsy Cannon.
Cannon is talking about the pit bull which now sits in a Pine Bluff Animal Control cage.
It's believed to have killed Patsy's daughter Debra Wilson-Roberts.
"They were protective of her at one time," said Cannon.
But last Friday night a 9-1-1 call came in with a different story.
Deputies say they arrived at the woman's home on NCTR Road and could see her body inside, but couldn't get to her, because of the dogs.
A deputy shot and killed one of the dogs, the other was able to be taken in alive.
"I went in the house and she was in the bedroom on the bed," said Brandon Southerland, Director of Pine Bluff Animal Control. "When she saw me she raised up, she was ready."
Deputies say Debra had suffered severe injuries from the dogs.
Cannon says she tried to warn her only child about owning pit bulls.
"I've heard a lot about them and I didn't particularly care for her having the dogs, but when you get to a certain age what are you gonna do," Cannon said.
Officials within the Pine Bluff Police Department tell us two other calls about the dogs had come in before the woman's death, but they were calls from neighbors about alleged neglect of the dogs.
The family is now awaiting an autopsy report.
It happened Friday night near Redfield.
The woman's husband says he left for a little while, but when he returned he found his wife dead, and their two pit bulls hovering over her body.
The victim's mother says she had warned her daughter that pit bulls were not good dogs to have as pets, saying too that she felt the dogs would turn on her daughter one day.
"I don't feel like she needed the dogs," said Patsy Cannon.
Cannon is talking about the pit bull which now sits in a Pine Bluff Animal Control cage.
It's believed to have killed Patsy's daughter Debra Wilson-Roberts.
"They were protective of her at one time," said Cannon.
But last Friday night a 9-1-1 call came in with a different story.
Deputies say they arrived at the woman's home on NCTR Road and could see her body inside, but couldn't get to her, because of the dogs.
A deputy shot and killed one of the dogs, the other was able to be taken in alive.
"I went in the house and she was in the bedroom on the bed," said Brandon Southerland, Director of Pine Bluff Animal Control. "When she saw me she raised up, she was ready."
Deputies say Debra had suffered severe injuries from the dogs.
Cannon says she tried to warn her only child about owning pit bulls.
"I've heard a lot about them and I didn't particularly care for her having the dogs, but when you get to a certain age what are you gonna do," Cannon said.
Officials within the Pine Bluff Police Department tell us two other calls about the dogs had come in before the woman's death, but they were calls from neighbors about alleged neglect of the dogs.
The family is now awaiting an autopsy report.
Comments
Ok stupid people who think pit bulls are born dangerous! WAKE UP! Debbie B. In order for a dog to be aggresive it has to be trained to be aggresive! They are not born that way! Unlike the pit bull haters who are born ignorant! Lawmakers should not ban the breeding of pit bulls!
David B.
September 13, 2012 at 1:08 am
You people that are making negative comments on the breed must just be plain ignorgant! Get a life! YOKA, Seriously!? Wow! I advocate for this breed whenenver possible! I would love to laugh in your face when it comes out that the husband was behind this! SAMANTHA, I agree with you!
Angela T.
September 12, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Samantha S. my 1st thought when I read this was just as yours!! Mighty strange that the husband was away at 11pm at night!! I recall an incident in Texas that read just about exactly the same as this one, but in the end it was proven that the husband had killed his wife & then sicked the dogs on her to make it look like they had killed her!! So so sad & now the autopsy says she died from loss of blood??? Pit Bulls would go for the throat if they had really attacked & killed her!!! Just my opinion! I own 4 & I trust them mor than most ppl!!
Norma D.
September 12, 2012 at 9:18 am
I hate to say this but her husband "Suddenly was away" when the dogs did this? Ya right! The dogs were probably protecting her like they normally do w/their owners . He probably did it, planned it for years and had these dogs to blame it on. We are on to you Mr. Killer and GOD see's everything, especially when you accuse the innocent, like these 2 protective, lovable creatures! These poor babies. :(
Samantha S.
September 11, 2012 at 1:37 pm
I hate to say this but her husband "Suddenly was away" when the dogs did this? Ya right! The dogs were probably protecting her like they normally do w/their owners. He probably did it, planned it for years and had these dowg to blame it on. We are on to you Mr. Killer and GOD see's everything, especially when you accuse the innocent, like these 2 protective, lovable creatures! These poor babies. :(
Samantha S.
September 11, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Anyone that knows anything about dogs know that any type of dog can kill. Even very small dogs have killed people. Yet the pit bull haters write like a pit bull type dog is the only dog that ever killed a human. Especially Debbb B... who is Debbie Bell a well know pit bull hater and spreader of lies.
Bob c.
September 11, 2012 at 12:32 pm
It's time for those with more than two brain cells (our legislators, I would hope?) to start protecting those with less...and us from those with less. This entire type of [censored] pit-fighting monster, plus all its mixes and derivatives, need to be banned. The pity, I mean pitty, lovers can advocate instead for real dogs if they really need a hobby. I say this because it's a mercy that this woman's pity, I mean pitty, dogs killed her instead of someone's child.
We need to make lawmaker seriously afraid that they will lose their cushy jobs if they don't ban these monster dogs.
Yoka S.
September 11, 2012 at 10:06 am
debbie what you are saying here jusst goes to prove how stupid some people are, have you ever owned a pit bull, probably not, i have had a pit bull and he was one of the best dogs i was ever near, i have been bitten by 3 boxers in my life so do we need to ban boxers and i have been attacked by a chihuahua that belonged to my brother do we need to ban them too
lloyd b.
September 11, 2012 at 6:45 am
Had this family instead chosen to own non-bully dogs, this woman would still be alive and so would her dogs. The pit bulls did exactly what they were created to do: attack for little/no reason, do damage. Pits cannot help themselves, just a beagles can't help bark and sniff. Ban pit breeding. Pits are victims too of these man-made mutations to maul. Stop making more victims now.
Debbie B.
September 11, 2012 at 1:38 am
Had this family instead chosen to own non-bully dogs, this woman would still be alive and so would her dogs. The pit bulls did exactly what they were created to do: attack for little/no reason, do damage. Pits cannot help themselves, just a beagles can't help bark and sniff. Ban pit breeding. Pits are victims too of these man-made mutations to maul. Stop making more victims now.
Debbie B.
September 11, 2012 at 1:35 am
