Florida Woman Arrested After Dog Attack Fatality

A woman in Florida has been taken into custody after her two dogs allegedly attacked and killed a neighbor. This tragic incident follows over a dozen complaints made previously regarding the dogs’ behavior.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced the arrest of Linda Cutler, 29, during a press conference. She faces a manslaughter charge linked to the death of 50-year-old Jody Cowan, who was reportedly run over by one of her dogs.

“We’re experiencing a serious cultural breakdown. Many people own large pit bulls but fail to manage them responsibly,” stated Sheriff Ivey.

Initially, Judge David Koenig considered setting Cutler’s bail at $250,000, but later revoked it entirely due to her prior arrests. Records show that Cutler had faced charges previously, including grand theft of a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.

On May 19, in the early hours, Cowan was out walking his dog in Cocoa when Cutler’s dogs jumped the fence and launched what was described as a brutal attack. Sheriff Ivey noted that the dogs, identified as Max and Mako, aggressively pulled Cowan to the ground and dragged him for a considerable distance.

Surveillance footage from a neighbor reportedly captured the moment the dogs charged at Cowan. Tragically, Cowan’s partner discovered her in a pool of blood as the dogs continued to pull her away.

Donnell Smith, Cowan’s partner of 25 years, recounted that he had left home around 1 a.m. to assist a neighbor, only to return to find Cowan and their dog missing. He described hearing faint cries for help before witnessing the dogs drag Cowan away.

“I rushed in with a knife, trying to fight them off,” Smith reminisced with tears. “It felt like a nightmare to see the woman I loved for so long being attacked.”

After Smith called 911, Cowan was transported to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries later. Smith believes Cowan acted to save their dog during the attack.

Despite having alerted the authorities about Cutler’s dogs before, Smith felt that no effective action was taken. “I informed them numerous times about her dogs escaping and their aggressiveness. My wife’s death feels like a direct consequence of that inaction,” he lamented.

Reports indicate that more than a dozen complaints had been filed regarding Cutler’s dogs since early 2024, with several citations for aggressive behavior. A previous incident involved a dog killing a neighborhood cat, and one of her dogs bit a person requiring emergency medical attention.

During the investigation, Ivey stated, “Cutler was fully aware that her dogs frequently escaped her property and had a history of aggressive behavior toward people.” He also mentioned the lack of adequate measures taken by Cutler to prevent these incidents despite knowing the risks.

While Cutler was staying at a hotel at the time of her arrest for the manslaughter warrant, she allegedly feigned a heart attack when taken into custody, leading to a hospital evaluation.

Sheriff Ivey further commented on the situation, emphasizing that two dogs would likely be euthanized due to their violent actions. When asked if he could ever forgive Cutler, Smith expressed uncertainty, noting that while he doesn’t wish ill upon her, forgiveness would take time.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the dogs involved will be euthanized, while the investigation continues.