A retired Auburn University veterinary professor was fatally stabbed over the weekend at a city park popular with dog walkers and exercisers, authorities said, a killing that has rattled the college town.
Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was found in a wooded area of Kiesel Park and died of multiple sharp force injuries, Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton told The Associated Press. Police arrested Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, and charged him with capital murder. Court documents indicate investigators believe Dabney killed Gard Schnuelle during an attempted robbery and left in her red Ford F-150 truck. He was being held without bond.
The killing occurred at Kiesel Park, a sprawling green space about four miles from Auburn’s campus that offers fields and roughly two miles of walking trails. The park, described by residents as a placid place for running and dog walking, was temporarily closed over the weekend while investigators gathered evidence. Gard Schnuelle had gone to the park to walk her dog; the dog was found safe and returned to her family, according to local reports.
People who visited the park on Tuesday described shock and unease. “Horrified and couldn’t believe it happened in broad daylight,” Paul Holm said. Gwnstavus Dowdell, who brought his dog, said he tried to go to the park Sunday but it was closed and he learned of the killing only after checking online.
Auburn University officials described Gard Schnuelle as a highly regarded teacher and veterinary specialist. A 1996 graduate of the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine, she served on the faculty from 2003 until her retirement in 2021 and specialized in cattle reproduction. She recently served as the Area Veterinarian in Charge with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Alabama and Mississippi and remained active with the veterinary school after retiring.
“Dr. Schnuelle was an extremely enthusiastic and energetic person,” said Calvin M. Johnson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. He said the vet school community was in “absolute shock” and sadness and that the park was a beloved place where faculty and students frequently went to walk or take a break. A handwritten note left with flowers at the park read, “always an example forever an inspiration.”
Lee County District Attorney Jessica Ventiere said her office intends to seek the death penalty. A judge scheduled a preliminary hearing next month. Andrew Stanley, the defense attorney appointed to represent Dabney, declined to comment Monday, noting the case was in its early stages.
Local clergy and residents gathered at the park to pray and to leave memorials. Bill Birmingham, pastor of a nondenominational Christian church in Auburn, said fewer people were visiting the park since the killing. Investigators have provided limited public information about the circumstances leading to the arrest and the motive beyond court documents indicating an attempted robbery.
The killing of a well-known veterinarian and former government official in a public recreational space has prompted concern in Auburn, a city of about 83,757 people where many residents described the community as tight-knit and generally safe. Authorities continue to investigate and have asked anyone with information to contact law enforcement as the case moves toward the scheduled preliminary hearing.