Family of slain dog sues Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department deputies

A Stoddard County family is suing members of the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department following the death of their 9-year-old lab mix, Parker. 

Court documents filed by The Oliver Firm, run by former prosecutor Russ Oliver, ask for the body camera footage of the incident, as well as a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000 and attorney fees. 

Sheriff Carl Hefner announced last week that one person had been fired and another placed on leave following complaints by Bryan and Tylla Pennington. 

The Penningtons shared via social media that their dog had gone missing prior to the evening of Aug. 27 and had been found by another resident. 

The family said they were told a deputy was dispatched in response to a found dog call, and then instructed by a supervisor to euthanize the animal and dispose of it in Otter Slough Conservation Area.

Hefner and current prosecutor Sawyer Smith on Wednesday asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate the matter. 

Bryan Pennington reported being taken by a deputy to the area of Otter Slough where Parker’s body had been disposed of, to recover the animal. 

Oliver has since filed requests with the sheriff’s department for body cam footage from the night of the incident. 

Two videos were released, of Deputy Roger Seal making two separate phone calls, Oliver reported in court documents. One was to an unknown number and the other to a contact listed as “Chief Deputy Andy Holden.” Seal acted on the orders of his supervisor, Corp. Travis Maddox, according to Oliver. 

“No video of the murder of Parker was provided and the Defendants have since refused to produce said video,” Oliver wrote in court documents filed in Stoddard County. 

The sheriff’s department has refused to release additional footage, stating that it was “due to active investigations,” Oliver reported. 

Oliver argues in court documents the footage does not meet exemptions set out in the Sunshine Law which would prevent it from being released. 

“The benefit to the Pennington family in investigating their civil cause of action and the benefit to the public outweighs any harm to the public, to the law enforcement agency or any of its officers, or to any person identified in the mobile video recording,” Oliver wrote. 

Hefner and Amy Holden, the custodian of records for the sheriff’s department, have been named as defendants in the case. 

In his request to the MSHP, Hefner said, “Several concerns have been raised about the handling of this call and accusations have been made about criminal wrongdoing. I feel the alleged criminal accusation would be a conflict for our office to investigate.”

In regards to the disciplinary matters, he also released a statement, saying, “It is my opinion, upon reviewing the case, the deputy who responded to this call did not act appropriately during the performance of his duties. 

“It is my decision to terminate the deputy’s employment with the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office immediately.”

“It is also my decision the supervising corporal did not properly supervise the deputy, and offer proper guidance while handling this call,” Hefner continued. “The supervising corporal has been reprimanded, placed on unpaid administrative leave, and demoted from his position as corporal.”