FBI, Police Seek Criminal Who Hung Dog From Tree, Then Brutally Raped And Killed Her

On March 21, a mountain biker was traversing state property in Washington State when he came upon a sight that can only be described as horrific.

The witness, who hasn’t been named, discovered a dog that has been identified as a possible pit bull mix. The animal was hanging from a tree with her paws barely touching the ground, The Seattle Times reported.

Thurston County Animal Services Officer Erika Johnson was given the grisly task of investigating the heinous crime.

“Something like this is not very common. This is horrific.”

She has since determined that the dog was alive when she was hung from the tree. Johnson also discovered that the female pit bull mix had been raped. Her body revealed signs of sexual abuse.

According to Q13, evidence suggested that the dog was “severely sexually assaulted” while it was restrained.

The dog’s cause of death was ruled as asphyxiation as a result of being hung from the tree.

Three agencies have joined forces to determine who raped and killed the animal, and they intend to bring the individual to justice. The dog’s exact location wasn’t disclosed, but the crime was described as taking place in a rural area of Thurston County in Washington.

“The Department of Natural Resources, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and (Humane Society) are seeking information to find whoever is responsible for this atrocious crime,” a spokeswoman for HSUS, Samantha Miller, told KIRO 7.

The consequences could be severe. If the killer is found, he or she will face a felony charge of first-degree animal cruelty. In 2006, state legislators amended animal cruelty laws to include bestiality.

And to elicit the public’s help in finding the person who raped and killed the dog, a larger-than-normal award has been offered to those who provide information about the crime.

Both the Human Society and Pasados Safe Haven, an animal sanctuary near Seattle, are offering an up to $10,000 reward for information about the dog and her death. The amount is double the society’s typical reward. A board member of the Humane Society donated the extra money to bring the killer of the animal to justice.

The organization’s Washington director, Dan Paul, expressed disgust at the horrendous rape of the innocent animal.

“To think about the suffering this dog experienced in her final moments, as well as knowing there’s an individual or individuals in our state who would perpetrate this type of abuse, is sickening. We are hopeful this reward will bring someone forward with information about this despicable crime.”

According to the Humane Society, cases of animal cruelty are considered dangerous because they are often a precursor to other crimes. The organization argues that cases like this one need to garner serious attention from law enforcement, prosecutors, and residents in order to protect communities.

“The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented,” the organization has stated. “Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and all manner of other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.”

Sadly, bestiality is not an uncommon crime, and the Inquisitr has reported on a handful of such despicable cases, including one committed just this month.

A Florida woman was arrested on Monday for filming herself having sex with her own dogs. The woman had sent the videos to her boyfriend, whom she’d accused of sexual assault. The woman also said that he’d compelled her to rape her pets.

And in 2014, a Florida man was accused of raping a pit bull puppy. He was sentenced to five years in prison after he admitted to fondling and then having sex with the eight-month-old animal.

[Photo By Meagan Marchant / Shutterstock]