At a Glance
- Jurisdiction
- Goochland County, Virginia
- Date
- 2017-12-13
- Status
- Resolved
Bethany Lynn Stephens, 22, took her two dogs for a walk in the woods near her childhood home in Goochland, Va., roughly 30 miles outside Richmond, on the afternoon of Dec. 13, 2017. When she did not return that night, her father grew concerned, called police, and the subsequent search ended with the discovery that Stephens had been attacked and killed by her own dogs, according to NPR [1]. Goochland County Sheriff Jim Agnew described Stephens as "petite" and said the two dogs each weighed between 100 and 120 pounds [2].
Stephens "had defensive wounds on her hands and arms trying to keep the dogs away from her, which would be consistent with being attacked while she was still alive," Agnew said at a press conference [1]. Deputies found Stephens being "guarded by two very large brindle-colored pit bull dogs, who were very reluctant to be caught," Agnew added [1]. The sheriff, recounting the scene, said, "In my 40 years of law enforcement I've never seen anything quite like it. I hope I never see anything like it again" [1]. Agnew said the medical examiner's initial findings indicated that "the first traumatic injury to her was to her throat and face" and that "it appears she was taken to the ground, lost consciousness, and the dogs then mauled her to death" [3].
Stephens had left her father's home at approximately 3:45 p.m. to walk the two male pit bulls, named Tonka and Pacman [2]. A neighbor later told investigators she heard screams in the woods around 4 p.m. that Wednesday but did not report them [2]. The two brindled American pit bull terrier brothers were from the same litter and were euthanized as a safety precaution, with the family's consent [3]. Investigators suggested the animals may have been stressed and underfed after Stephens moved from the home where they were kept, returning only once a day to walk them [3].
The Goochland County Sheriff's Office formally concluded its investigation after the state medical examiner ruled Stephens was mauled to death by her two pit bulls [3]. The state medical examiner determined she died from "trauma due to mauling by animals," and the sheriff's office closed its investigation in February 2018 in light of those autopsy results [3]. The final report found no drugs or alcohol in Stephens' system and no evidence of a gunshot, strangulation, or any other kind of attack. The report concluded: "Stephens was not raped, and this was not a homicide" [3].
Forensic testing identified Stephens' blood and human DNA on swabs taken from Tonka's chest; Tonka had no external wounds but had blood on the chest and a leg [3]. Testing on Pacman's collar also revealed human DNA, and statistical analysis indicated the probability that the DNA belonged to someone unrelated to Stephens was negligible [3]. No civil or criminal charges were filed. The case drew national attention and prompted broader discussion of dog owner liability and local animal control statutes in Virginia.
References
[1] NPR. (2017, December 17). Virginia Woman Mauled To Death By Her Own Dogs During Walk In Woods, Sheriff Says. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/17/571460563/virginia-woman-mauled-to-death-by-her-pit-bulls-during-walk-in-woods-says-sherif
[2] ABC7 New York. (2017, December 18). Sheriff: Virginia woman mauled to death by her own dogs. https://abc7ny.com/bethany-stevens-woman-mauled-by-dogs-pit-bull-dead-in-woods/2794414/
[3] Roanoke Times. (2018, February 22). Autopsy confirms Goochland woman was mauled to death by her dogs; sheriff closes investigation. https://roanoke.com/news/crime/autopsy-confirms-goochland-woman-was-mauled-to-death-by-her/article_49971800-a4b5-5eb9-9a4f-29e8d479cb1f.html