71-year-old man mauled to death by dogs; owner arrested, according to the sheriff’s office

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Freddy Garcia was walking to a neighborhood store in Fresno on July 18 when he was fatally attacked by the pack of dogs, the sheriff’s office said Friday.

Samuel Cartwright, 47, who owned the seven dogs, was arrested and charged in connection with the mutilation, the sheriff’s office said. It’s unclear if Cartwright has an attorney at this time. CNN has contacted the district attorney’s office for more information.

“The seven dogs – which are pit bull mixes – were captured by Sheriff’s Deputies and Animal Control,” the sheriff’s office added.

Cartwright was jailed Thursday in the county jail and charged with “attack by a dog resulting in death”, a second degree felony, according to prison records. His bail is set at $100,000.
Prior to his arrest, CNN affiliate KTRK spoke to Cartwright, who said the dogs did not belong to him and that he called animal control as soon as he spotted them on his property.

“There are 20 dogs here right now. If you drive down this alley, there will be 20 loose dogs running around,” he said. “People throw them here. Dogs go wherever they can find food.”

Garcia’s granddaughter, Ivon Fajardo, mourned her grandfather in the interview with KTRK.

“He was young. He was full of life. He loved to dance. He loved to sing. He was really happy,” Fajardo said in Spanish. “We used to get together on the weekends and enjoy each other’s company. Now that he’s gone. It won’t be the same.”

Sheriff Eric Fagan told a news conference Tuesday that Garcia did nothing to provoke the animals.

“He was walking down the street. He wasn’t in anyone’s yard, he was heading towards the store when he was attacked,” he said. “He had nothing in his hands. The dogs just attacked him for no reason or provocation of any kind.”

CNN’s Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

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