New details about the brutal murder of a retired Auburn University professor have been released by investigators.
Beloved veterinarian Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was found dead in a wooded area of Kiesel Park in Auburn, Alabama, on Saturday afternoon.
Prosecutors believe that the suspect, Harold Rashad Dabney III, dragged her several hundred yards into the woods before stabbing her multiple times with something resembling a blade or knife.
Dabney, 28, has now been charged with two counts of capital murder — murder during a kidnapping and murder during a robbery.
Under Alabama state law, capital murder is defined as an intentional killing with ‘aggravating factors’.
Dabney was arrested Sunday afternoon and made his first appearance in court on Monday. He is being held in Lee County Jail without bond, and if convicted, he will get the death penalty or life in prison.
Schnuelle had been walking her dog in the 124-acre park at the time of the brazen attack. Her dog was unharmed.
Police descended on the park just after 2pm after a 911 caller reported finding her body near the 500 block of Chadwick Lane.
Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, (pictured) was stabbed to death in a wooded area of 124–acre Kiesel Park on Saturday morning while she was out walking her dog
Schnuelle was killed in broad daylight near the 500 block of Chadwick Lane (pictured)
The coroner pronounced Schnuelle dead at the scene, with investigators alleging that her death was caused by an assault.
Her body has been transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for a postmortem examination.
Dabney was taken into custody Sunday morning in the 2300 block of Beehive Road by officers responding to reports of a suspicious person in the area.
Police said he stole the veterinarian’s red Ford F-150 truck and later abandoned it near a pumpkin patch roughly five miles away.
The truck was recovered after Dabney’s arrest. Schnuelle’s dog was also found safe and is in the care of her loved ones.
Authorities have not said what led to the attack. It is also unclear if Dabney personally knew Schnuelle – who is understood to have visited the park daily – or if he targeted her at random.
Schnuelle worked as a faculty member at Auburn University’s Department of Clinical Sciences from 2003 until her retirement in 2021.
The university released a statement Sunday morning confirming Schnuelle’s death.
Harold Rashad Dabney III, (pictured) 28, has been charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to Schnuelle’s slaying
‘Julie Gard Schnuelle, DVM, Ph. D., was a beloved member of the Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Auburn Family,’ a school spokesperson said in a statement to WTVM.
‘Auburn sends our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Dr. Gard Schnuelle during this unimaginably difficult time.’
The university noted the Auburn Police Department is ‘leading the investigation’ into Schnuelle’s death and referred all questions to the force.
The late veterinarian has been hailed for her ‘welcoming’ personality and dedication to her students.
‘She was spunky and ready to make jokes. But if she saw something she didn’t like, she would always stand up for you and for herself,’; her former student Dr. Ashley Rutter told AL.com.
‘She’d be there to defend you and help you out.’
Another former student told the news outlet Schnuelle was ‘amazing’ and a ‘force’ to be reckoned with, despite being relatively small in stature.
‘She was only a little bit over 5-foot-2, not your typical large animal veterinarian,’ Destinee Bearden Patterson said. ‘She was a force in this world, such a bright, bright light, just an all-around wonderful human being that is going to be missed terribly.’
Schnuelle (center) is survived by her husband Archie and her children
Schnuelle (pictured, left) worked as a faculty member at Auburn University’s Department of Clinical Sciences from 2003 until her retirement in 2021
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, and his wife also offered their condolences to Schnuelle’s loved ones.
‘Suzanne and I are devastated by the news of this tragic loss in our community,’ he wrote on X. ‘We are praying for the victim’s family and loved ones and for justice to be served.’
Schnuelle is survived by her husband Archie, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and her children.
Gadsden State Police Department issued a statement Sunday saying: ‘We are keeping Archie and his family in our prayers as they navigate this difficult time.’
