A peaceful Saturday stroll turned tragic when Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, a respected Auburn professor emerita and veterinarian, was found dead in Kiesel Park on September 6, 2025. The 59-year-old, known for her compassion and dedication to animals, had been walking her dog when she was attacked. Her dog was found unharmed, but the park — once a place of community and joy — is now a scene of heartbreak.

By the next morning, police arrested Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28, near Beehive Road. He now faces two counts of capital murder, accused of abducting Dr. Schnuelle and stealing her red Ford F-150, later recovered near Wire Road. Investigators are still working to determine whether Dabney had any prior connection to her.

Dr. Schnuelle’s death has deeply shaken Auburn. A beloved educator and mentor, she spent nearly two decades at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in large animal medicine. Former students and colleagues remember her as “brilliant, kind, and a bright light” whose legacy will inspire generations of veterinarians.

This tragedy echoes another recent loss: on August 22, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed aboard a Charlotte light rail train. These two devastating crimes, in two different states, serve as a haunting reminder that tragedy can strike anywhere. Communities across Alabama and North Carolina now mourn, holding onto memories of two extraordinary women taken far too soon.