Dog killingcase under investigation

Despite publicity stirred by public outrage, breaks have yet to materialize in the case of a dog found brutally tortured and killed near Eureka in April.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office has received several tips, but they didn't amount to anything and no arrests have been made, Detective Jim Sweet said.

The case is still active and under investigation.

Lincoln County animal control officer Sarah Caswell said authorities hadn't received any new information.

"We haven't heard anything else lately," she said.

But even as the case appears to stagnate, a Eureka group calling itself the Citizens for Justice Coalition is attempting to put it back into the spotlight.

"We have an issue, a serious issue here," said Diane Kaechele, the group's spokeswoman.

The group has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible from $4,500 to $6,000 and is circulating a petition to bring new attention to the case.

"The petition is a message supporting the sheriff's efforts and encouragement to bring this case to a successful conclusion," Kaechele said. "The only way we can do this is if we, as a community, put pressure on it."

The group has hired a licensed private investigator, Gerald E. Manske with Montana Detective Services, to independently investigate the dog's killing, Kaechele said.

While not affiliated with the group, Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter Director Wendy Anderson said she supported the Citizens for Justice Coalition's effort to find the dog's killer.

"We just don't want it buried under the rug," she said.

The dog, a 6- to 8-month-old female black Labrador mix with white patches on her chest and throat, belonged to a Eureka family. The family, after reading a newspaper story about the killing, was able to identify their pet from a picture taken after the dog's body was found April 26 in the Tobacco River.

She had been missing since the night before.

A man picnicking near the river with his own dogs discovered the Lab's body and notified animal control officers.

Evidence indicates the suspect or suspects tied the Lab to a post, beat her, and then hung her - still alive - over the side of the Pigeon Bridge off Montana 37 outside Eureka. The Lab then was dropped 20 feet into the river, landing in 5 or 6 inches of water.

"You can see where the dog was tied there, where the majority of the beating took place," said Anderson, who described the bloody scene as "horrific."

"It may take some time, but I'm confident that justice will be brought about," she said.

Contributions to the reward fund may be made to the Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter at (406) 297-PETS. Manske can be reached at (406) 882-4950.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com