Dog found skinned, mutilated in Thurston County
Oct 8, 2018, 8:41 AM
A Thurston County couple said they found a dead dog that had been skinned, with its paws and tail cut off, at the Nisqually River Wheelchair Fishing Access area near Sixth Avenue Southeast and Riverside Drive.
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Sources tell KIRO 7 that the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and detectives believe a person killed the dog.
“It was terrible, it was like, it was so fresh,” said Jacinda Gehrig.
Jacinda Gehrig and her boyfriend, Paul Krause, told KIRO 7 that they found the skinned dog around 6:45 p.m. Friday as they walked toward the trails near the Nisqually River.
“I almost fainted and blacked and I had to walk away for a second and then just kind get myself together,” said Gehrig, who shared a graphic video of the skinned dog with KIRO 7.
“There was a pair of gloves that had fat around them,” said Gehrig.
The couple called 911.
“It’s pretty scarring, it really was,” said Paul Krause.
Krause said he immediately thought of the person or people investigators believe have been killing and mutilating cats recently in Thurston County.
“I’m scared they’re going to move on to kids,” said Krause.
Investigators do not believe the serial cat killer is responsible for the dog’s death, according to sources, because of differences in the way the animals were killed.
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Still, that provided little comfort for Jacinda and Paul, who said the image of the skinned dog has been stuck in their heads ever since.
“I was so scared to go to sleep, like every time I closed my eyes, I saw the dog over and over,” said Gehrig.
KIRO 7 called the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office for more information, but we haven’t yet heard back from investigators.
By Michael Spears, KIRO 7
