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Elderly Man Killed In Dog Attack

POSTED: 6:17 am EST July 3, 2005
UPDATED: 7:03 am EST July 3, 2005

CAMBY, Ind. -- Police said four dogs attacked an elderly man outside his home, killing him. Investigators aren't sure why the dogs mauled the man.



Boyd Fiscus


When police arrived at the home Friday night, they were responding to a report of a drowning, RTV6's Jeremy Brilliant reported.

"Deputies quickly observed that the man appeared to be brutally attacked before his death," Morgan County detective Dan Downing said. "At that point, other investigators were called in."

Boyd Fiscus, 83, had multiple bite marks all over his body. Police said four dogs, owned by a neighbor, mauled him to death.

"It was definitely the most violent crime scene that I have seen as of yet," Downing said.

According to police, the dogs were an American bulldog, a Johnson bulldog, a neapolitan mastiff and a border collie. Officials said Fiscus knew the dogs and had even fed them in the past.



Police say dogs like these were involved in the attack.


"He petted them quite often. We're not really sure what happened or what provoked this event, or even if it was provoked," Downing said.

Fiscus' neighbor, Jim Baker, said Fiscus was a friendly man in good health. He spent hours each day doing yard work.

"I thought he probably had a heart attack or something because he works hard," Baker said. "I'm not surprised, but I didn't think they (the dogs) were that mean. You see the same dogs around quite a bit."

Police think the same dogs may have been involved in another attack against a child more than a year ago.

"The investigation has led us to a 12-year-old girl that was bitten by a group of dogs," Downing said. "We're still trying to make sure this was the same group of dogs."

So far, criminal charges have not been filed, but the investigation is ongoing.

If police do file charges, they could range from misdemeanor counts for allowing animals to stray to more serious felony reckless homicide charges.

All four dogs involved in the attack will be destroyed at the owner's request.

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July 2, 2005: Police: Man Killed In Dog Attack
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