A suspected killer is facing the death sentence after a retired Auburn University professor was fatally stabbed in a park during the daytime while she was out walking her dog. Beloved veterinarian Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was found dead on Saturday afternoon in a wooded section of Kiesel Park in Auburn, Alabama.
Her wounds suggested that she had been attacked with a sharp weapon, most likely a knife, according to Auburn police. While Dr. Schnuelle lost her life, her dog was found safe and unharmed at the scene. Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, is now facing two counts of capital murder in the killing of Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle.
Killed Brutally
While the official warrants haven't been made public yet, local reports suggest the charges are in connection with a murder committed during a robbery and a kidnapping. Capital murder is considered the gravest form of homicide, reserved for intentional killings that involve serious "aggravating factors" in Alabama.
It's classified as a Class A felony and carries the harshest punishments—either the death penalty or life in prison with no chance of parole.
Dabney was arrested on Sunday morning and is currently being held at Lee County Jail without bond.
Schnuelle drove to Kiesel Park on Saturday morning, a place she often visited, for her usual walk with her dog. Sometime during that routine outing, she was attacked in a wooded area of the 124-acre park.
Police rushed to the park around 2 pm after a 911 caller reported finding her body near the 500 block of Chadwick Lane. The coroner confirmed she had died at the scene, with investigators saying her injuries pointed to a violent assault. Her body was later sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.
By Sunday morning, officers responding to reports of a suspicious person on Beehive Road arrested 28-year-old Harold Rashad Dabney III. Police believe he stole Dr. Schnuelle's red Ford F-150 pickup from the crime scene and abandoned it near a pumpkin patch about five miles away.
The truck was recovered soon after his arrest. Her dog was unharmed and is now being cared for by her family and friends.
Motive Not Clear
So far, investigators have not revealed what may have led to the attack. It also remains unclear whether Dabney knew Dr. Schnuelle or if she was chosen at random during what should have been just another peaceful walk in the park she loved.
Schnuelle dedicated much of her career to Auburn University, serving as a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Sciences from 2003 until her retirement in 2021.
On Sunday morning, the university released a statement confirming her death. "Julie Gard Schnuelle, DVM, Ph. D., was a beloved member of the Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine and the Auburn Family," a spokesperson told WTVM. "Auburn sends our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Dr. Gard Schnuelle during this unimaginably difficult time."
The university added that the Auburn Police Department is handling the investigation into her death and directed any further questions to law enforcement.
Colleagues and former students have remembered Dr. Schnuelle not only for her veterinary expertise but also for her warmth and spirit. She was praised for her welcoming nature and her strong support of those around her.
Her former student, Dr. Ashley Rutter, shared with AL.com: "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. She'd be there to defend you and help you out."
