Texas Man Mauled to Death by 7 Dogs; Owner Arrested, Dogs Captured

By Mary Webber First Posted: Jul 25, 2022 02:08 AM EDT

Texas man Freddy Garcia, 71, was attacked by at least seven dogs, with officials saying that Garcia was "mauled to death."

New York Daily News reported that Garcia's death prompted authorities to arrest the owner of the dogs. He was identified as 47-year-old Samuel Cartwright.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said that each of the dogs was a pit bull mix, adding that they have captured all of the seven dogs.

The sheriff's office noted that Cartwright remains in custody at the Fort Bend County Jail, having been charged with attack by dog resulting in death, which the sheriff's office noted is a second-degree felony.

Texas Man Mauled to Death by Dogs

Sheriff Eric Fagan said in a news conference that Freddy Garcia was walking on a sidewalk and "did nothing to provoke the animals." The canine attacked him "for no reason," according to a USA Today News report.

Fagan said that it was a tragic incident and was uncalled for, further describing it as "senseless."

Four of the dogs were captured after the attack, while the three remaining were later caught by animal control.

Authorities first believed that the dogs were stray dogs. However, an investigation was done to identify if the dogs belonged to anyone.

Samuel Cartwright claimed that the dogs did not belong to him, adding that he called animal control as soon as he saw the dogs on his property.

The dog owner said there were approximately 20 stray dogs in the neighborhood, noting that people "just dump them around here."

However, investigators found that Cartwright is the owner of the dogs. He is currently being held on a $100,000 bond.

A 2007 law known as "Lilian's Law" states that dog owners could be responsible if dogs cause injuries or death in an "unprovoked attack."

Texas Man's Death

Freddy Garcia was identified by his granddaughter, Ivon Fajardo, and brother, Jorge Garcia. The two said that the Texas man was someone who brought joy to other people, adding that "he was full of life," as reported by ABC 13.

Fajardo said in Spanish that they would be spending time together on the weekend and just enjoy each other's company.

Meanwhile, neighbors are now scared to spend time out after hearing about Garcia's death. One resident, Tracy Gregory, said that she does not want to have her kids outside with "dogs running loose like that."

Kevin Aguilar with Fort Bend County Animal Service advised the public to carry a stick when walking in the streets.

Aguilar added that a lot of people love dogs. However, they can still be dangerous.

Jorge said at the time that he does not wish the same fate on anybody as "nobody deserves to die" in the same way.

Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton noted that dog owners can face 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if their pets have caused harm.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Pack of 7 dogs captured after mauling 71-year-old man to death in Fort Bend County - from KHOU 11