The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

Victim ID’d in fatal mauling, fate of captured dogs uncertain

by •

8 pitbulls
These six pit bulls and two mixed-breed dogs were seized from a Littlerock property in the 37300 Block of 115th Street East following Thursday morning’s fatal dog mauling.

LANCASTER – The 63-year-old woman mauled and killed by dogs as she took her daily morning walk in Littlerock has been identified as Pamela Marie Devitt, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

The six pit bulls and two mixed-breed dogs seized from a Littlerock property following the mauling were quarantined at the Lancaster Animal Care Center Friday morning.

“They’re kind of timid here, they’re a little scared, it’s an unfamiliar environment,” said Marcia Mayeda, Director of the County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC). “They’re all housed individually so they can’t engage in any sort of pack behavior.”

Mayeda said the five females and three male dogs were adults and weighed between 40 to 70 pounds. One of the mixed-breed dogs appears to be an Australian shepherd mix and the other mixed-breed appears to be part Labrador, Mayeda said.

All the dogs appear to be in good health, but not all of them are spayed and neutered, Mayada said. The dogs were seized following Thursday morning’s fatal mauling because there had been complaints in January and April of this year about horses being attacked by dogs from the home where the dogs resided, Mayeda said.

“We had prior reports of horses getting ridden past the house that were attacked by dogs from that residence,” Mayeda said. “We’re still determining whether they were the same dogs.”

At the time, the dogs’ owner was cited for all violations related to animal control, Mayeda said.

When the dogs came into the shelter Thursday night, some of them had blood on their faces and bodies, but none of the dogs were injured, Mayeda said.

Sheriff’s investigators were at the shelter until nearly midnight testing the canines to determine if they were involved in Thursday morning’s attack. The quarantine period is 10 days, but the dogs will be kept at the shelter until the investigation is completed, Mayeda said.

“We would seek an order of destruction for the dogs that were involved with the attack,” she said.

Pamela Devitt
Pamela Devitt

Around 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Pamela Marie Devitt was attacked by at least four large dogs on 116th Street East and Avenue S in Littlerock, sheriff’s officials said.

A motorist witnessed the attack and tried to intervene, but backed off and called authorities when the dogs began attacking the driver’s truck.

When the first deputy arrived on scene, one of the dogs was still attacking Devitt. The deputy shot at the dog, and the dog ran off into the desert.

A daylong search that included air and ground units led authorities to a home in the 37300 Block of 115th Street East, where residents had reported aggressive dogs in the past.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for the home, and seized eight dogs from the property.

During the search, deputies also discovered a marijuana grow, and 29-year-old Alex Donald Jackson was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale. He is the owner of the eight dogs, Mayeda said.

If investigators were to determine that none of the seized dogs were involved in Thursday morning’s attack, the owner could retain custody of three of the dogs per Los Angeles County pet limits, Mayeda said. The remaining dogs could be adoptable, pending an assessment evaluation, Mayeda added.

Pamela Devitt was a mother of two grown children and grandmother of one, according to her grieving husband Benjamin Devitt.

UPDATED 8/20/13: After a preliminary hearing that included two days of graphic testimony by 12 witnesses, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled there was enough evidence for Alex Jackson to stand trial for the murder of Pamela Devitt. The ruling came down on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. Jackson is due back in court on Sept. 5 for a second arraignment. He remains jailed on 1,050,000 bail. 

Previous related stories:

Eight dogs seized in deadly mauling of 63-year-old woman

BREAKING NEWS: Woman dead after vicious dog mauling

67 comments for "Victim ID’d in fatal mauling, fate of captured dogs uncertain"

  1. Just heardthat Mr Jackson, owner of the dogs, has been arrested for murder in this case and being held on 1 million dollars bail.Don’t think he’ll be getting out so quickly this time.

  2. I don’t bother to call Animal Control for anything. You get put on hold & they never show up. A feral chow attacked & killed my cat in my front yard & tried to attack me. I was put on hold! I hung up & called the Sheriff & within 20 minutes I had a patrol car & Animal Control!! Now I just call the Sheriff.

  3. I called Animal control once, for a hurt pigeon. He was there with in the hour. Maybe the employees for animal control are scared of dogs?

  5. Pitbulls and other vicious dogs that are not under their owners control in my neighborhood will be handled by the three S principal.

    Shoot, Shovel, Silence.

    I will never call animal control again.

      • I don’t think anyone answered my earlier questions, how many zaps on a cattle prod and would a .23 stop a pack of dogs?

          • Not sure about the cattle prod, but I bet a 10-shot .22 pistol would scare them away and/or put the hurt on them…and might be sort-of fun.

        • Just thinking of the best scenario while trying to hold on to my own dogs.Wouldn’t want to hit them in the process.

          • Yeah, then maybe a cattle prod would be better…At least if you zap one of the good guys accidentaly, it won’t hurt him/her. Maybe one of those little stun guns would be even better, but you have to get up close.

          • Yeah, too close for comfort.I’m liking the cattle prod, gonna go check them out.

        • It depends on what type dogs you’re trying to stop. If they’re pit bulls, you’re better off with a gun. I read about a rancher using a cattle prod on a pit bull and he said it just made the demon dog even madder. Just the other day, police had to TASE a pit bull several times to control it – a man in good health can be taken down with a single jolt. Additionally, you’d be better off with a higher caliber gun. A couple years ago, someone shot a pit bull in the head with a .22 rifle and the bullet ricocheted off the monster’s hard head. It takes some serious force to deter a pit bull. I carry a .38 revolver loaded with hollow points. With ordinary dogs, i.e., non-pit bull types, the loud sound of a gunshot will often cause them to run off.

          • If you know where the dogs live, get a burger from McDonald’s, put a bunch of rat poison in it, and throw it in the yard. The dog will die. Guaranteed. The owner will not learn their lesson, and will replace the dog. Repeat, until they either keep their dogs inside, or stop getting dogs. If the irresponsible dog owners have no regard for the safety of their neighbors, then the neighbors should have no regard for them, or their dogs. Fair is fair.

          • @Mel S. Why would you go to a dogs house and kill it in it’s own yard? You sound like the worst kind of evil person.
            If you do this sort of thing, I hope you get caught and go to jail with dog fighters and cock fighters or worse, a neighbor puts you out of your misery.

  6. I agree with Robert Miller. I too was attacked by 2 young red/pink nosed pit bulls as their 2 young black teen owners watched, eager to see me mauled, I am so sure they commanded the dogs to attack me. ….. I know the terror of knowing that any minute you’ll be bitten to death. I too called the L.A. County Sheriff and they referred me to Animal Control. I did my own CSI work and found the home where the dogs were being kept, and reported the address, but I never got a response. Sincere condolences to the Devitt family. Bottom line: the owner(s), L.A. County Animal Control are ultimately responsible!

  7. Blame can be laid on the ‘owners’ of this breed of dog, but the bottom line is, this behavior has been bred into the breed. Outlaw them and put them all down. You don’t see ‘packs’ of any other breed behaving this way, attacking and killing people in the street.

    • You are absolutely incorrect AVfubar. A pack of dogs(4)came onto my property in the middle of the afternoon and killed my cat. NONE of them were pitbulls. What appeared to be the same dogs came back at night about a week later and killed a stray neighborhood cat.
      I have owned a pitbull and she was one of the most docile dogs I have ever owned. She loved everyone and everything. The neighborhood kids would often ask if they could come play with her. We rescued her as an adult and it appeared she had been mistreated, likely used as a “bait” dog.
      Pitbulls were once referred to as “Nanny Dogs” because they were so trustworthy with children. They have been turned into symbols of aggression and the “thug’ lifestyle by humans.
      I blame the owner in this case and in almost every other!

  8. I feel bad for the dogs, they really didn’t know any better. Of course I feel worse for the family of the victim. I hope The AV Times updates us as to the ongoing investigation.

    • I don’t feel bad for the dogs. Every pit bull in the US should be rounded up and shot. Not a day passes that you don’t read about someone, usually a child, being attacked and badly injured by a pit bull. So far this year, 15 people in the US have been murdered by dogs and pit bulls were responsible for 14 (93%) of those deaths. I’d rather have a neighbor who owned a lion or wolf than one who owned a pit bull because lions and wolves attack only for food or out of fear, pit bulls attack purely for the fun of it. Watch a video of pit bulls attacking and you will see them wagging their tails and having a grand old time as they rip some animal to shreds. Pit bulls were bred to fight to the death and that’s what they do. They were never intended to be pets.

  9. this is so sad….a few ppl had great point some just need to stop being so closed minded….

    • This is not sad…this is an OUTRAGE!!! I feel terrible for the husband and family, as well as the poor woman who was torn to bits by a pack of out of control Pit Bulls. The owner should be tried for accessory to Murder. And ever Pit Bull in the Valley should be OUTLAWED NOW! Or shoot them on site.

      • Though pit bulls do have the highest incidence of biting people (check with the CDC, sadly it is a fact) there are numerous other breeds that people can turn to to act in the same manner. I used to manage a kennel and you know what bit me the most? Cocker spaniels and chihuhuas.

        It is the mindset of the people promoting this type of canine behavior that is the problem.

        • This might be true but Ive never heard of a pack of Chihuahuas mauling anybody to death!

  10. The only way to take care of wild dogs in the desert is to take care of them yourself. If people have dogs that they let run wild and they disappear all the better!

    • Neutering plays a role, but it does not guarantee a pit bull won’t attack. In 2007, the two pit bulls that killed owner Tina Marie Canterbury in Florida were both altered and she had raised them from puppies. Earlier this year, the pit bull that killed Betty Todd (South Carolina) was neutered and she had been around the dog all its life. The two dogs that killed 14-month-old Dax Borchard in Wisconsin were both altered as was the one that killed owner Michael Cook in Arizona in 2011. What people don’t realize is that any animal can have a bad moment. If an ordinary dog has a bad moment, someone gets nipped and usually requires nothing more than minor first aid. If a pit bull has a bad moment, someone usually ends up badly injured or dead.

  13. Mr Devitt,And Familie im so sorry for your loss,,and may god be by your sides during this time sorrow in your lives.Dave

  15. None of us even know if these Pit Bulls are even the dogs that did it. One thing I would like to bring up is Pit bulls aren’t the only aggressive digs out there. My neighbor just had half if her jaw ripped off by a Golden Retriever.we all need to stop with this put the pit bull to sleep crap. They are all innocent until proven otherwise.my heart does go out to the woman’s family . May she RIP

    • Alex Jackson was charged with murder today (May 30) after DNA testing proved the blood on the muzzles of the pit bulls when they were picked up matched the blood of Pamela Devitt.

  16. If these dogs were in fact the ones that were roaming free and mauled a woman how can they be found to be locked up in a mans home.

  17. There has been way too many deaths from Pitt bulls that have attacked their
    owners, neighbors,senior citizens, and children!..These dogs must be put to sleep,their instinct is to lock their bite into whatever their prey is! Has nothing to do with training or any other teaching they were taught, this is their make up! These dogs must be put to sleep. We all have to be responsible, not for ourselves but for everyone that lives on this earth.
    Can you imagine the FEAR this woman felt? The thoughts that ran through her mind! Your mother,daughter, it has to stop! We all are responsible, this breed of DOG has attacked over and over again! In all area’s and states this is the end result for this breed, 1 out of 100 will attack!
    Yes they should be put to sleep..All of Them!!

    • First off thoughts go out to the victim in the case Pamela Devitt, every animal deserves a chance, you cant be specific about a breed when there are just as many other breeds that attack as well, when you live in the remote desert you need to be prepared for an attack whether it is from people or animals.we have packs of coyotes and dogs,and scumbags out here when your 60 years old you need to walk with someone.people are worse then dogs i dont know where you get your 1 out of 100 will bite but you sound like a closed minded idiot with no solution to the problem but to kill, sounds like you need some rehabilitation. If all the dirtbags of the antelope valley would stop dumping there unwanted animals in our desert and kill them themselves or properly adopt them then all of you members of the community our just as guilty for not stepping up and taking control of your environment.so people like you are part of the problem because of your narrow minded views on life. we have very little people willing to help a community so maby you will get you head out of your a?? and find a more humane solution to helping your neighborhood and not worry about eliminating a breed!

    • This is a sad sad day for many dog owners and people who knew the women but from years of exp. with dogs of all breeds. Pit bulls are one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever had to deal with no matter where they came from or who had them. With this case i see there was over 6 dogs, in this case they were more in pack mode then vicious pit bull. Any dogs in a group will act more as a pack,and hunt and do all things a pack of dogs would. With the sad fact as they were pit bulls, any people are and will do what they can to get rid of dogs who do nothing wrong thanks to there breed. Yes the dogs who did this should be PTS but going at good owners who own the breed will be a very sad thing. Doing that will scare owners and so many dogs will be tossed out in the deserts. I know cause they become strays in my neighborhood. This is not a good thing in any way, For dog owners around and the women family. Pit bulls are not killers just because a owner trains a dog wrongly and those pit-bulls killed doesn’t mean my dogs or anyone who owns a pitiful owns a killer DOG. My dogs are lap dogs, trained around and with smaller dogs cats and kids of all ages. You choose how your dogs will be, train them and stop blaming the breed.

      • Thank you Tawn for that! The worst dog bite I ever had was from a crazy mean cocker spanial. I needed tetanus shots and a round of rabies shots since it was a stray. I’ve had many dogs over the years, mostly mixes gotten as rescues and most had psychological damage of some kind from their previous OWNERS. It had NOTHING to do with their breed. I now have a pit bull who my neighbors (who barely know me and don’t know Brownie at all) want me to get rid of. They on the other hand have a German Shepherd who is chained up all day in a tiny, hot yard. Brownie is indoors unless being walked on a harness. And Brownie lives in mortal terror of my 4 pound cat who bopped her on the nose as a puppy. I feel absolutely horrible for this poor woman and her family but the blame for this tragedy rests squarely on the dog owner/owners who should never have had any kind of pet, let alone large dogs that need love, attention and training. Honestly, it’s owners like this that should be put to sleep, not the dogs.

    • You are saying the end result of ALL pitbulls in ALL area’s of the United States is a fatal attack?
      Did you know in 2011 there were 31 dog bite fatalities in the United States? 22 of those were Pit Bulls. Compare that 14,612 people murdered by other people in the United States in 2011.
      Men are 10 times more likely to commit murder than women.
      With that ignorant rationality, should we start putting all the men to sleep too?

      • If that is true over 70% of fatalities were caused by pits.That’s a pretty high percentage and needs to be addressed.

  18. sad story but the truth is animal control never shows up or they show up 2 days later asking where the dogs at!!!. so i dont even bother i just walk with a stick and a knife in my pocket …

    • I carry a cattle prod with me when I walk, I’ve only had to use it one time so far & it worked, it scared the dog & he ran off. You can buy them at any feed store.

    • Very true! One night one of my neighbor’s pits jumped into my yard to eat my dog’s food. I called animal control because I was afraid it was going to attack my dog and they showed up 2 days later at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. What a joke!!

  19. This is such a horrible story. Why do you need 8 pit bulls? Unless you’re a breeder then why would you need that many dogs?

    Well since he was growing some weed, maybe he was using the dogs to protect his grow.

    Someone needs to pay. This woman suffered a death that was absolutely horrible. 6-8 dogs all mauling you.

    • YOU KNOW OPINIONS ARE LIKE [removed] everyone has one and most of the time they Stink… and you Sir or Maam are one…

      its not the dog its the owner, lets remember we as HUMANS domesticated these animals MANY YEARS AGO…they are doing what comes natural when they are neglected or mistreated and I am sure based on the pictures of this man and they fact he had a WEED farm going on, those dogs were definitely his last priority ….

  21. Pit bulls in Littlerock running wild? You don’t say.

    That area and east are the vast wasteland of the AV. During my EMT days it was one of the sketchiest places to be. The people out there are crowding Charles Darwin’s waiting room. So many on public assistance not taking any type of personal responsibility and we expect them to be responsible for dangerous animals? It seems like there were many a pit bull and rott in yards, tied to trees or just roaming freely.

    That area needs a low level nuke.

    • People from the AV Come and dump their dogs out here in Littlerock and our deserts when they don’t want them, when they are sick of their dogs& cats; we have so many abandoned dogs running around out here! We live in a nice area in Littlerock and I don’t like the fact that you are claiming that Littlerock, itself is a haven for welfare recipients and scumbags ,yes there are people on public assistance in Littlerock but the majority I would say, Of people on public assistance in the antelope Valley are out in Palmdale and Lancaster!! Your hoods are a lot bigger than ours and more of them!!

    • I live in Littlerock and resent what you said. Do you think I like the fact that low lifes are ruining our peace and quiet? I live right down the road from where this happened and have a pitbull next door that goes nuts whenever I walk to my mailbox or water my garden. Believe me, I bring my baseball bat with me now when I go outside. This used to be a nice quiet place to live. Time to relocate ! There is only one guy who is in charge of Animal Control in the AV…it takes forever to get them to come out here, believe me I have had the experience of having to make many online complaints and make many phone calls to get them out here for a neighbor with a barking dog that kept us up all night, every night for months! That is lots of territory for one person to watch over!

  22. IVE DONE THE SAME AN THEY DON’T EVEN BOTHER TO SHOW UP! I HAD MY KID CHASED BY TWO PITBULLS! LUCKILY HE ESCAPE!! SO SAD SOMEONE LOST THERE LIVE TO THIS BS!!!

  23. They had blood on their faces and bodies?? That was not mentioned in the previous story.. that should have been the headline “Victim ID’d in fatal mauling, Blood Found On Dogs”

    That certainly would have gotten my attention a lot more. Does the person who types these up actually have any news writing experience or do you just drive to Grace Resource Center every morning and ask people standing in line “Hey, can any of you type? Ya? Then get in the van!” hehe :)

    Cause until now I thought those might be the wrong dogs.

    • This is a sad story, not one that need sensationalizing. Those still might be the wrong dogs. But it’s nice to know you already have your mind made up. Me? I prefer to wait until the tests are in, it’s called due process. You are worried about something getting your attention and a woman (possible someone’s grandmother) is dead. You should be very ashamed!! SMH!

  24. Antelope Valley Animal Control personal are culpable in the death of Pamela Marie Devitt, they are also incompetent and should be fired. They were aware of the danger and muliple previous complaints.

    I have had similar problems with vicious dogs and the lack of response from the county’s Antelope Valley animal control.

    Robert Miller
    Palmdale 93551

    • I know someone with $921 million in verdicts and settlements that would take the case.. It’s not against the City of Lancaster so he’s good to go!

  25. Wow, wonder why Animal Control left all those dogs there in January if 3 are the limit.
    Such a horrible story, my condolences to the family of Pamela.

    • This is the question that needs to be answered…if it is in fact a true statement.

    • Someone was getting paid to drive around and do nothing yet they’ll claim that they’re understaffed, overworked and on furloughs.