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Case ID: 18413
Classification: Theft, Unclassified
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Golden retriever cruelly killed
Neptune Beach, FL (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Jul 17, 2011
County: Duval

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

A cruelty to animals investigation is underway after the remains of a golden retriever were found floating in Hopkins Creek in Neptune Beach.

Police say the dog was initially reported missing July 4 by the owners in Jacksonville Beach. On July 17, the decomposed remains of the dog were found in Hopkins Creek near a home in the 1800 block of Nightfall Drive.

A Neptune Beach police report says officers revisited the scene in a boat on Monday and found a tarp was used to wrap the dog's body. The tarp was anchored to cinder blocks on the floor of the creek and the remains were freed only after decomposition when they were found.

Two veteran Fletcher High School teachers are trying to find out more information behind the death of their golden retriever, which was wrapped in a weighted-down tarp in the Beaches' Hopkins Creek.

Kevin and Brenda Brown of Jacksonville Beach are offering a $500 reward for information that could determine what happened to Parker, their 4-year-old male golden retriever that disappeared on July 4. The dog was found in the creek off Nightfall Drive, just north of the Browns' Kings Court home.

The dog had been wrapped in a tarp tied to cinder blocks, but the remains had drifted free of the covering and were spotted by a passerby. On Aug. 1, police determined the case to be animal cruelty.

The Browns have both taught for 28 years, Kevin Brown as a marine science teacher and Brenda Brown as a sign language teacher who also founded the Duval County school system's sign language program in 1993. Kevin Brown is also an assistant football coach at Fletcher.

"Nobody has an answer to this," Kevin Brown said Tuesday. "There's nothing that indicates there was forced entry over the fence."

Parker was friendly to people and never ran off, he said.

Neptune Beach Assistant Police Chief Tony Carrillo said investigators are stumped.

"Right now it's just a big mystery and a whodunit," Carrillo said. "The dog was badly decomposed and we'll probably never determine what the cause of death was."

Since the Browns live in Jacksonville Beach, the case has been turned over to that city. On Wednesday, police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Bingham said police are investigating the case.

Brenda Brown posted pleas for help on her Facebook account and received offers for assistance, including from some people who have offered vigilante justice. "I don't want that," she said.

Brenda Brown said her main objective now is preventing whoever killed her dog from striking again.

"My biggest concern is this is some kid that needs to get help," she said. "Nobody in their right mind does that to an animal."

More reward money

A friend matched Brenda Brown's original reward offer of $100, then several Beaches residents offered donations, increasing the amount to $500. And that figure could grow.

Neptune Beach City Attorney Patrick Krechowski is among those offering help to increase the reward.

"We live near Hopkins Creek and walk our dog in that area often," said Krechowski. "To me, it's just a very sad and disturbing story. Someone must know what happened and I simply felt compelled to offer my help if it can be of use."

Kevin Brown said his family is still trying to get over the trauma of losing their family pet to an act of cruelty.

"It was devastating," he said. "I'm 90 percent sure it's my dog. But I'm not 100 percent sure. ... I could not find [dog license] tags."

Kevin Brown said he took at boat to the site where the dog was found before the remains were removed and it's clear someone tried hard to hide the remains.

"It was a tarp that you put over a big boat and they had rolled the animal up in the tarp and tied both ends," he said.

Kevin Brown acknowledged it's chilling to wonder what motive may be involved.

"Did somebody do this out of spite or anything? I don't know," he said.

If you have any information on the dog's death, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS (8477) or the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1667.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Crime Stoppers
866-845-TIPS (8477)

References

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