Dog owner indicted for murder after 17 dogs kill Duke Energy retiree, NC cops say
The killing of a 73-year-old man by a pack of dogs has resulted in a neighbor being indicted for second degree murder, according to investigators in North Carolina.
Duke Energy retiree Michael Bodenheimer died Nov. 18, after being attacked by dogs outside his rural home near Thomasville, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Dec. 17 news release.
Lab tests confirmed 17 dogs were involved, and they were owned by Elaina Bryant, 56, who lives about a half a mile west from Bodenheimer’s home, court documents report.
A Davidson County Grand Jury indicted Bryant Dec. 15 on charges of second-degree murder and 10 counts of felony animal abuse, the sheriff’s office said. She was arrested Dec. 17 and is being held under a $500,000 bond, officials said.
“The owner of the canines ... was determined through the investigation to have been grossly negligent in the care and control of the animals,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Charlotte Observer has been unable to reach an attorney for Bryant to get a comment.
Investigators say the initial 911 call to Bodenheimer’s home on Jeanette Lane reported he was in cardiac arrest.
“Upon arrival, deputies discovered ... Bodenheimer had sustained severe injuries and was beyond the possibility of life-saving intervention. Preliminary findings at the scene indicated that his injuries were consistent with an attack by a large pack of canines,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Deputies and detectives subsequently located the pack of aggressive canines at a neighboring property. ... Over the following hours, Animal Control Division personnel captured 17 canines, identified as pit bull–mixed breeds. The animals were euthanized and transported to a local veterinary facility, where necropsies were conducted. The examinations of the canines revealed evidence confirming their involvement in the attack.”
An autopsy on Bodenheimer confirmed he died as a result of “mauling from the canines,” the sheriff’s office said.
Bodenheimer worked 35 years for Duke Energy before his retirement and had been president of the Duke Energy Retirees Association, according to an obituary posted by J.C. Green & Sons Funeral Home.
He was a husband, father, volunteer with the Fair Grove Fire Department, and he delivered food as part of the Meals on Wheels program for people in need of food, the obituary reports.
Thomasville is about a 70-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.
This story was originally published December 18, 2025 at 8:48 AM with the headline "Dog owner indicted for murder after 17 dogs kill Duke Energy retiree, NC cops say."