Deadly Cocoa dog attack: Arrest made in neighbor's mauling death

Florida woman attacked, killed by 2 neighborhood dogs

Jodi Cowan was walking home on Blue Bonnet Drive when she was attacked and killed by two aggressive dogs that had been pacing a fence line. Security footage shows the dogs becoming increasingly agitated before launching a coordinated attack; Cowan’s partner witnessed the tragedy while attempting to save her. While law enforcement responded quickly, Cowan succumbed to her injuries at the hospital; neighbors now report living in fear as the investigation into the owner continues.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida woman has been arrested on a manslaughter charge after authorities said her dogs escaped repeatedly from her yard before fatally mauling a neighbor earlier this month.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced Wednesday that Linda Cutler was taken into custody with assistance from the Melbourne Police Department in connection with the May 19 death of 50-year-old Jodi Cowan.

The backstory:

Investigators said Cowan was walking her dog in her neighborhood during the early morning hours when two dogs belonging to Cutler, identified as Max and Mako, escaped from the yard and attacked her.

Authorities said the dogs knocked Cowan to the ground, mauled her and dragged her across the area. Cowan’s husband rushed outside after hearing her screams and attempted to stop the attack by swinging a knife at the dogs, investigators said.

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Cowan was taken to a trauma center, where she died several hours later from her injuries.

According to investigators, Cutler knew the dogs frequently escaped from the yard and had previously bitten another person. Authorities said she had received multiple citations from animal enforcement officers over the dogs being loose but took minimal action to secure them.

Sheriff’s investigators said Cutler admitted during a sworn interview that she knew the fence had holes that allowed the dogs to escape and acknowledged the animals had become increasingly aggressive.

Authorities said animal enforcement officers had limited authority under state law to remove the dogs before the fatal attack because previous incidents did not meet the legal threshold for seizure.

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"While you might think that animal services has the authority to seize dogs that routinely escape from yards or that have even bitten someone, the unfortunate reality is that they don't," Sheriff Ivey said. "In fact, the dog or dogs still can't be seized by animal enforcement officers, as it is not the number of bites but the severity of the bite that elevates the potential for the dog to be declared a dangerous dog, and the owner go before a magistrate.

Following the investigation, prosecutors approved a manslaughter charge, and a judge ordered Cutler held without bond.

"Folks, an innocent woman is dead, and two dogs are about to be euthanized because of this woman's inactions and failure to be a responsible pet owner," Ivey said.