New information has come to light regarding the tragic murder of a retired Alabama professor, who was a cherished figure in both the veterinary and university circles. She was fatally attacked while walking her dogs, and police have detailed in court that she was stabbed seven times before being dragged 25 to 30 yards from the path she was on. Her phone, a blood-soaked dog leash, and the visor she wore were reportedly found 10 to 15 yards away from where the assault took place.

Harold Rashad Dabney III from Montgomery faces charges of capital murder in the brutal killing of Dr. Julie Schnuelle, a retired Auburn University professor. The incident occurred on September 6 at Kiesel Park, located in the 500 block of Chadwick Lane in Auburn, as confirmed by local authorities.

Reports suggest that Dabney launched the attack on Schnuelle shortly after she arrived at the park around 9:38 a.m. on that fateful Saturday. Following the assault, he allegedly abandoned her body in a wooded section of the park before fleeing the scene in her F-150 truck. It was a passerby who stumbled upon Schnuelle’s body and subsequently alerted emergency services.

During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, an Auburn police detective took the stand to recount the events of that day, as covered by AL.com. The detective described how he and other officers responded to the scene and discovered Schnuelle in the wooded area of the park.

Arriving at the park around 1:54 p.m., law enforcement officers were directed by a witness who had initially noticed a pool of blood along the trail. This grim discovery led them to Schnuelle’s body. Investigations revealed that Dabney had allegedly inflicted stab wounds to Schnuelle’s neck, chest, forearm, and hand, leaving her with fatal injuries.

According to the detective, at least two different pools of blood were seen and reported on the walking trail by authorities upon their arrival. A search of the area led to Schnuelle being found off the trail and behind a tree, AL.com reports. The detective said it appeared she had been dragged to the location by Dabney, who was allegedly caught on surveillance video using Schnuelle’s key fob to enter her F-150 and drive away.

The next day, authorities received a report around 8:30 a.m. about a “suspicious person” at St. Matthews Baptist Church in the 2300 block of Beehive Road — around 4 miles away from Kiesel Park — who turned out to be Dabney, according to the detective. Cops searched him and allegedly found a credit card belonging to Schnuelle in his underwear, per the detective. Schnuelle’s F-150 was later located near the 6500 block of Wire Road, about 3 miles away from the church, in a wooded area.

“After further investigation, Dabney was confirmed to be the suspect responsible for the homicide, and he was charged with two counts of capital murder,” police officials reported at the time. The detective said Wednesday that blood was found inside the F-150, along with Dabney’s fingerprints.

Auburn University officials, as well as friends and family, released statements to local media outlets after her death describing Schnuelle as a “welcoming” and “spunky” professor emerita who was known to “help you out” when needed.

“Dr. Gard Schnuelle retired as a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, in the Large Animal/Food Animal section in 2021,” Schnuelle’s bio said on the Auburn website.

A former student, Dr. Ashley Rutter, told AL.com that Schnuelle frequently visited Kiesel Park — specifically the dog park, as do many veterinary students.

“She ran there every day,” Rutter said.

Dabney was ordered held Wednesday without bond. His case has been sent to a local grand jury.