Authorities' hands are tied in dog mauling case

Want to get away with murder... hello Milam County Texas.
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www.news8austin.com


Authorities' hands are tied in dog mauling case
Updated: 11/28/2005 11:37:20 PM
By: Bob Robuck

Milam County authorities believe six dogs belonging to a nearby neighbor attacked and killed 76-year old Lillian Stiles of Thorndale Saturday afternoon.

The dogs are also believed to have bitten a man who tried to help the Stiles family. The animals have been euthanized. Their remains have gone to a lab for rabies testing.

The dogs present a unique problem for investigators attempting to pursue criminal charges against their owner. Milam County is a rural area, and there are no laws on the books that cover what happened to Stiles.

"What I'm incensed about is that somebody needs to be responsible for what happened to this woman," Milam County Sheriff Charlie West said.

Officers are proceeding with their investigation. A local veterinarian has collected evidence.

"We collected hair out of their mouths and saliva for DNA testing," veterinarian Valerie Bobbitt said.

What happened to Stiles in her own front yard has drawn attention to a small community that didn't want it -- putting pressure on authorities to act. County lawmakers say they can't even pass new laws that may stem from the incident.

"Under state law, the commissioners hands are tied. I don't think they have the authority to pass any ordinances or laws," West said.

An autopsy is currently underway. Investigators hope to have preliminary results sometime Tuesday.