header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
April 25
1906 - Bercaw General Store opens in Surrey (Saugus) [story]
Bercaw Store


A Littlerock man accused of owning pit bulls that fatally attacked a Littlerock woman in May pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

Alex Donald Jackson, 28, of Littlerock, pleaded not guilty to six counts when he was arraigned at Los Angeles Superiot Court in Lancaster.

Jackson was charged with murder, an animal causing human death/owner negligence, cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of a controlled substance and assault with a deadly weapon.

Jackson will be back in court for a preliminary hearing Aug. 19, when a judge will determine if there’s enough evidence to make Jackson stand trial for the charges.

Pamela Devitt was walking in the desert by her Littlerock home May 9, at 9:30 a.m., when she was suddenly attacked by a pack of four pit bulls, according to a Sheriff’s Department statement.

A passerby saw the dogs mauling the victim and called 9-1-1.

When a deputy arrived on scene, he saw there was a pit bull still engaged in attacking the victim.

The deputy was able to chase the dog away and summoned paramedics, who were in the process of transporting and treating the victim when she succumbed to her injuries.

During their investigation, Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau investigators recovered eight dogs, six pit bulls and two mixed breeds, from Jackson’s Littlerock home. Four of the pit bulls were believed to be involved in the attack.

Further examination of the pit bulls revealed they had what appeared to be blood on their coats and muzzles.

On May 11, an examination by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office was conducted on victim Pamela Devitt to determine her cause of death.

The cause of death was blood loss attributed to sharp force trauma, according to the Coroner’s Office.

The sharp force trauma was caused by the dog attack where the victim sustained approximately 150-200 puncture wounds.

DNA tests were conducted on the blood found on the pit bulls and those tests revealed that the blood on the dogs belonged to Devitt.

The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and on May 29, the District Attorney filed charges of murder on Jackson, who is the owner of the dogs.

On May 30, Jackson was arrested at his residence and booked at Palmdale Sheriff’s Station for murder.

Jackson is being held in lieu of $1,050,000 bail. Deputy District Attorney Samantha MacDonald is prosecuting the case.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

2 Comments

  1. Laura says:

    “It’s the deed not the breed!!” Lol j/k

    Seriously. Maulings almost daily. Starting to think it just *might* be the breed…

  2. Marc Brown says:

    Murder is the correct charge. This man’s pit bulls roamed habitually. They’d attacked before. He explicitly said he didn’t care. He knew they would someday kill someone, though of course he’ll deny that now.

    This is murder just as much as putting poison in bottles of aspirin in a store was, randomly killing people who happened to buy one of those poisoned bottles. The person who did the poisoning was charged with murder.

    Not only that, but the entire industry started bottling meds and such in such a way that we can see if the package has been tampered with. Time to radically regulate the pit bull type dog industry too — namely by banning these types of dogs altogether.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024
TMU Biology Students Earn Recognition at Annual Research Conference
Earlier this month, a team of biology students at The Master’s University won a distinguished award at one of the oldest intercollegiate research conferences in the country.
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024
April 26-28: Community Weekend Returns to CalArts
California Institute of the Arts' Community Weekend kicks off on Friday, April 26 and runs through Sunday, April 28.
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024
May 16: Children’s Bureau Foster Care Orientation
May is National Foster Parent Appreciation Month! Celebrate by applying to become a resource parent and fostering or foster-adopting siblings.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Starting Monday, April 29, construction on the South Fork Trail will begin to replace a portion of the lodgepole fencing, the city of Santa Clarita announced.
South Fork Trail Construction to Begin April 29
College of the Canyons dual-sport athlete Sam Regez will continue his career at University of Portland with plans to run on both the cross country and track and field programs.
COC Standout Sam Regez Signs with University of Portland
An entertainment industry initiative to support the voices of California State University, Northridge film and TV students was celebrated with a recent screening of stories they created. 
‘Changing Lenses’ Initiative Lends Voice to CSUN Film, TV Students
How important is Film and Tourism to the Santa Clarita Valley Economy? 
SCVEDC Delves into Santa Clarita Film, Tourism Impact
Earlier this month, a team of biology students at The Master’s University won a distinguished award at one of the oldest intercollegiate research conferences in the country.
TMU Biology Students Earn Recognition at Annual Research Conference
Lisa Zamroz has announced her intent to step down as the head coach of The Master's University's women's basketball team effective July 1, 2024.
TMU Women’s Basketball Coach to Resign
Spring heralds a time of renewal and rejuvenation, not just in the natural world, but within our homes and lives as well.
Cameron Smyth | Spring Cleaning Your Neighborhood
College of the Canyons student-athletes Gigi Garcia (softball) and Hannes Yngve (men's golf) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's and Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running April 15-20.
COC Names Gigi Garcia, Hannes Yngve Athletes of the Week
California Institute of the Arts' Community Weekend kicks off on Friday, April 26 and runs through Sunday, April 28.
April 26-28: Community Weekend Returns to CalArts
May is National Foster Parent Appreciation Month! Celebrate by applying to become a resource parent and fostering or foster-adopting siblings.
May 16: Children’s Bureau Foster Care Orientation
Santa Clarita resident Edina Lemus has been appointed Administrator of the Veterans Home of California in Lancaster by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom Appoints SCV Resident Veterans Home Administrator
The California Department of Transportation has scheduled Lane Closures on the northbound and southbound State Route 14 between Technology Drive in Palmdale and Avenue A in Lancaster, closing up to three lanes.
Caltrans Announces SR-14 Lane Closures
1906 - Bercaw General Store opens in Surrey (Saugus) [story]
Bercaw Store
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond testified today in the Senate Education Committee about the need for results-proven training for all teachers of reading and math.
State Superintendent Makes Historic Push for Results-Proven Training in Literacy, Math as Sponsor of SB 1115
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
Ocean Water Warning for April 24
Dust off the boots and get ready to holler, because Boots In The Park making its way to back to Santa Clarita, y’all. 
May 10: Boots In the Park Returns to Santa Clarita
State Senator Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) and Supervisor Kathryn Barger honor the memory of those lost 109 years ago in Armenian Genocide. 
Barger, Wilk Recognize Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
The Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps is excited to announce the inaugural Donut Day event.
June 7: Salvation Army SCV Announces Inaugural Donut Day Event
The Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation has approved $370,000 in funding to support the Vet@ThePark program operated by the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control.
LAC Animal Care Foundation Provides $370K Grant to Support Vet@ThePark
The California Department of Public Health is encouraging Californians to take part in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27.
CDPH Urges Californians to Support Prescription Drug Take Back Day
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion, introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath, proclaiming May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Los Angeles County.
Supes Proclaim May as Mental Health Awareness Month
The Grammy-award winning rock ‘n’ roll group Blues Traveler will take the stage of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. May 9. 
May 9: Blues Traveler to Perform at PAC
1962 - SCV residents vote to connect to State Water Project, creating Castaic Lake Water Agency (now part of SCV Water) [story]
Castaic Lake
Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement in support of the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer’s presentation of a $45.4 billion budget for the forthcoming 2024-25 fiscal year.
Kathryn Barger | Statement in Support of $45.4B County Budget
SCVNews.com