Two guilty in death of war hero’s dog

Luttrell with Rigby

Two men will be sentenced in February for killing former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell’s service dog.

One entered a guilty plea to the charges this week, and a second was found guilty yesterday by a jury in Walker County, Texas, according to the Huntsville Item.

Luttrell took the stand Thursday, with his new service dog, Rigby, at his side. He testified he was so angry the night his dog, DASY, was killed by gunfire from a passing car that, while chasing the car down, he pulled his pistol.  

“I wanted to take a shot at the driver, but I figured if I missed and shot out the back window, I would not be able to catch them,” Luttrell said.

DASY — an acronym for Luttrell’s fellow Navy SEALs that were slain in the line of duty — was shot on April 1, 2009. A Labrador retriever, she was given to him by friends to help him cope with emotional and physical injuries sustained in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Luttrell was the lone survivor of a 2005 mission in which his SEAL team was pinned down in a firefight with Taliban forces in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006.

He testified in court Tursday that he let DASY out and was watching television when he heard a gunshot and, grabbing his gun, went to see what had happened.

“I saw my dog in a ditch and two men standing outside the car. I could hear them laughing,” said Luttrell who would go on to chase the car through Walker, San Jacinto and Polk counties before a patrol officer with the Onalaska Police Department pulled it over.

According to testimony in the case, one occupant of the car, after the dog was shot, got out and kicked and beat the animal with a bat.

“(Alfonso Hernandez) got out and kicked and beat that dog and thought it was funny. They thought it was just another dog,” Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Stroud during closing arguments. “To Marcus Luttrell it was so much more. It was a symbol he carried around for what happened to him. He was reminded of the people it was named after. To Marcus Luttrell that was just not another dog.”

Alfonso Hernandez was found guilty of cruelty to non-livestock animals, which carries a sentence of up to two years in a state facility and a $10,000 fine.

Two days earlier, Michael Edmonds pleaded guilty to the same charge and admitted he was the one who fired the shot that killed DASY.

Sentencing is expected to take place in February.

Posted by jwoestendiek December 2nd, 2011 under Muttsblog.
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Comments

Comment from denise
Time December 2, 2011 at 5:27 pm

Throw the book at those two.

Comment from vida
Time December 2, 2011 at 7:33 pm

Horrible and heart breaking, this poor man has been through too much already. I hope the men are sentenced to the maximum possible. Poor Dasy, I don’t understand and probably it’s just as well I don’t. A dog is never ‘just a dog’ anymore than a child is ‘just a kid’.

Comment from Terry T.
Time December 2, 2011 at 9:23 pm

What a horrifying story. I’m glad these heartless men were caught & that they admitted to what they did. I’m so very sorry for Marcus & Dasy. Marcus, I hope you are able to find comfort in your new friend & companion Rigby. I agree with Vida, a dog is never “just another dog”.

Comment from Susan
Time December 2, 2011 at 9:34 pm

throw the book at them? id rather throw a grenade at them. freakin douchebags

Comment from Mike Reath
Time December 3, 2011 at 12:41 am

I can’t even follow the verdict… There is no way I’ll feel happy with the punishment, no wonder what they hand down to these spineless Texans. Just let the Navy SEAL have 2 minutes in a ring with each… whatever happens, happens… & the SEAL cannot be charged with a crime. That would be my vote

Comment from cris
Time December 3, 2011 at 8:35 am

one shot in the knee to both and beat with a bat.. end of story!!!

Comment from Donna
Time December 3, 2011 at 1:41 pm

I have a service dog, and if someone did that to my girl I would be devastated! I wish they could get a worse sentence than 2 yrs and 10 grand in fines, I think he should have stayed outside with her while she was out to relieve herself, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to hurt her.

Comment from Kathleen
Time December 3, 2011 at 3:47 pm

Humanity at it’s worst. What these 2 men did was yet another example of thoughtless cruel behavior. I pray that Marcus and Rigby have may years of companionship. As for the 2 men who committed such a heinous act, the sentence does not seem to fit the crime

Comment from Josie
Time December 3, 2011 at 4:00 pm

These men should be in Federal Court. It’s a Federal offence to harm or kill a service dog. They’re getting off way too easy.

Comment from Jennifer Kramer
Time December 3, 2011 at 11:27 pm

Lutrell should sue these guys civilly too! I’m sure some attorney would take this case pro bono. 2 years and $10,000 isn’t enough which is the most they can get criminally. That is a crime in itself. We need to make the penalties stiffer!

Comment from Jan
Time December 4, 2011 at 12:37 am

Unjustified travesty

Comment from Shar
Time December 4, 2011 at 2:30 am

#1, They won’t do the full sentene..#2. They won’t pay the fine…= No justice done for Dasy…Give them up to the seals..Let those heartless bastards get what they truely deserve..

Comment from michael
Time December 4, 2011 at 8:57 am

We need to destroy these guys after they are let out

Comment from anne
Time December 4, 2011 at 11:02 am

This just breaks my heart…who raises children that would shot then beat a dog with a bat….forget about jail….send them to Afghanistan with just the bat they used to beat Dasy…end of story ….to me that is Justice….they are cowards and deserve to know fear….the fear that poor Dasy felt….

Comment from steven
Time December 4, 2011 at 2:33 pm

they should beat their ass with a bat then shoot them its only fair

Comment from Reagan
Time December 4, 2011 at 8:35 pm

Hopefully these disgusting criminals will receive the maximum fine and sentencing for brutally and viciously killing this American hero’s service dog. “Dasy” is an american hero as well. I would happy to allow my canines to serve up some TEXAS justice to these 2 scumbags…..I would even give them a 5 minute head start. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….

Comment from ExSoldier
Time December 4, 2011 at 11:22 pm

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The bad guys in prison they don’t put up with crap like that. Yeah those inmates may be drug dealers and murderers, but they got families and kids and PETS. Folks who hurt innocents for fun, like little kids and pets don’t do too well in prison. They’ll wind up being some con’s punk and take extra long soapy showers a LOT. A two year sentence could turn into a short life if they leave prison with a case of AIDS.

Comment from onlooker
Time December 5, 2011 at 12:02 pm

Sorry for your Loss.
I am just so impressed, that you did not harm the bad guys. I know that was hard, GOOD JOB BRO!!

Comment from smoketoomuch
Time December 5, 2011 at 12:31 pm

Disgusting vermin, that’s what those two are. Here’s hoping that they enjoy their time behind bars as some big con’s bitch!

Comment from Justice
Time December 5, 2011 at 12:51 pm

Nothing less than death will two for these two.

Comment from Fran
Time December 5, 2011 at 3:44 pm

I quite don’t know what to say…the scary part is there are a lot more people like these 2 “people” around…

Comment from Cindi
Time December 6, 2011 at 11:10 pm

If he had shot them…and I was on the jury….he would go free.

Comment from June
Time December 7, 2011 at 6:22 pm

A perfectly “just sentence”, for these two “retards” (and any more like them) would be to send them to Afghanistan, with the bat and the gun they used on DASY; they wouldn’t “last” very long and their “demise” would be pure justice!

Comment from Kevin
Time March 21, 2013 at 6:25 pm

Met Marcus Luttrell and Mr. Rigby this week at a speaking engagement. He is a hero and a patriot. Regardless of their sentences, those two were lucky he didn’t catch them in the act.

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