A new report alleges that 2 vigilante women played trickster and have, in their eyes at least, rescued a dog that was in the care of the Murphy Brothers, John and Joey. We received word yesterday that two female subjects supposedly went to the residence and offered to take the dog to get groomed and it’s nails clipped. A friend of the Murphy’s says they never brought the dog back.
And while some may laud their efforts to do what they felt was best for the dog, Michael Le Buhn says they kidnapped the animal and thereby denied the Murphy’s their due process of law.
The squalid story starts years ago when a resident who says her dog went missing ended up at the Murphy’s original home. She reported to City Animal Control Officer Linda Aud that she believed her dog had been sexually assaulted after getting it back and noticing it not acting right. Aud said at the time that the dog was taken to the vet in McLeansboro who said they could not determine if any abuse had taken place.
Earlier this year, the Murphy brothers home burned and inside were found a dog and most of 13 cats who had died of smoke inhalation. There was no sign of assault of any kind on those animals.
Then a couple weeks ago, Aud received complaints about the latest dog belonging to the Murphys relieving itself on neighbors lawns. Just last week, 3 formal signed complaints were filed after neighbors say they witnessed at least one of the brothers kick and repeatedly hit the 72 pound lab/pit mix. Since then, the story has gone viral leading some to suggest that someone should step in and take the animal. Aud says she went and checked out the dog and found no signs of trauma. The State’s Attorney spoke with the men as did their friend, Le Buhne, and Aud had said she would be making weekly check ins to see about the dog’s well being.
Le Buhne says there is legally nothing to keep the Murphys from getting another dog and that whomever committed the dognapping sabotaged the investigation and White County’s capability of processing the complaints.
We’ll talk with law enforcement this morning for the latest and bring you details as they develop.
