AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – The Auburn community is grieving the loss of a beloved professor after a brutal attack at Kiesel Park that left 59-year-old Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle dead. Auburn Police say they have arrested Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, of Montgomery, on two counts of capital murder in connection with the stabbing. In Alabama, capital murder is an intentional killing with an added aggravating circumstance. While the warrants have not yet been released, charges likely include murder during a robbery — since police say Dr. Schnuelle’s truck was taken — and possibly murder during a kidnapping. Prosecutors can file a separate count for each way they say a defendant violated the capital murder statute. But again, we need the warrants.

The attack

On Saturday, Sept. 6, Schnuelle drove to Kiesel Park, Auburn’s largest public green space, to walk her dog — a routine she loved. Police say sometime that morning, she was attacked in a wooded area of the park. Her dog was found safe and is now with family and friends.

Officers were called to the park in the 500 block of Chadwick Lane around 2:07 p.m. after a caller reported a woman’s body in a wooded area. Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton pronounced Schnuelle dead at the scene and later confirmed her injuries were consistent with a sharp object, possibly a knife. Her body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for postmortem examination.

Suspect in custody

The following morning, Sunday, Sept. 7, Auburn Police responded to a call about a suspicious person near the 2300 block of Beehive Road, just miles from Kiesel Park. Officers located Harold Rashad Dabney III and say their observations quickly led them to believe he was connected to the homicide.

After further investigation, Dabney was identified as the suspect responsible for Schnuelle’s killing. Preliminary reports indicate he stole her red Ford F-150 truck from the scene and later abandoned it along Wire Road near the Farmer in the Dell pumpkin patch. A state helicopter was seen lifting off from the site after the truck was recovered Sunday.

Dabney was taken into custody at approximately 8:30 a.m. Sunday, charged with two counts of capital murder, and transported to the Lee County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

Remembering Dr. Schnuelle

Dr. Schnuelle was a retired professor of Large Animal and Food Animal Medicine at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She held advanced degrees including a PhD and was board-certified in theriogenology, the specialty of animal reproduction.

She was widely respected in the bovine veterinary community and known for her scholarship, compassion, and dedication to mentoring future veterinarians. Former students and colleagues describe her as both brilliant and kind, a teacher who deeply cared for the animals she treated and the people she taught.

Beyond her professional achievements, she was a wife, mother, friend, and caregiver. Friends say her love of animals extended beyond her work, often seen walking her dog at Kiesel Park, where she lost her life.

A park in mourning

Kiesel Park is Auburn’s largest park, stretching 124 acres with gardens, a pond, a pavilion, a dog area, and a 2.25-mile walking trail. It is home to Auburn CityFest, the Fall Sundown Concert Series, and countless weddings, family gatherings, and community events.

Residents say the idea of a violent stabbing in broad daylight, at a place considered one of Auburn’s safest and most cherished public spaces, has shaken their sense of security.

Multi-agency effort

The Auburn Police Department expressed gratitude to agencies that assisted in the case, including the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lee County Emergency Management Agency, the Alabama Department of Corrections, and the Lee County District Attorney’s Office.

Police also thanked the public for their vigilance, noting that numerous tips helped investigators quickly locate Dabney and recover key evidence.

What’s next

The homicide investigation remains active. Police have not said what led to the attack or whether Dabney knew Schnuelle or targeted her at random. Those answers may come out in the weeks ahead as the case moves into the courts.

For now, Auburn is left mourning the loss of a woman who gave decades of her life to animals, students, and the community she called home.

Anyone with information that could aid investigators is urged to call the Auburn Police Division at 334-501-3140, the tip line at 334-246-1391, or dial 911.