A 29-year-old Texan was sentenced last week to life in prison for the murder of his cousin. On April 5, 2023, the body of Mandy Rose Reynolds was discovered burning in a container in a field in McLennan County. The body of the 26-year-old woman was so damaged that it was impossible to identify her. Inside, authorities also found a shell casing. Not far away, a white dog was barking frantically. He categorically refused to leave the scene or allow himself to be caught.
The next morning, a resident reported the presence of the white dog in the same location to the police, explains CBS News. The animal, named Titan, finally allowed himself to be captured. As it was chipped, investigators were able to determine that it belonged to Mandy Reynolds, and that therefore, the body found the day before was in all likelihood that of the young woman. Arriving at the home of the alleged victim, the police discovered a completely empty home. Mandy’s car was missing.
Two days later, an individual was caught driving the young woman’s vehicle near Wichita, Kansas. After a chase with the police, the young man fled on foot and took refuge behind cans in a grocery store. He was apprehended. Derek Daigneault, 29, is Mandy’s cousin. In the car he was driving, authorities found a pistol whose caliber matched the shell casing seized at the crime scene.
In trying to trace the suspect’s movements between the day of the discovery of Mandy’s body and that of the chase, investigators got their hands on video surveillance images showing the individual purchasing a container similar to the one from the crime scene, as well as a shovel and a can of gasoline. As the man is filmed leaving the store, Titan is seen sticking his head through a window of the vehicle. On November 7, Derek Daigneault was found guilty of the murder of his cousin. He will be eligible for parole in 30 years.
In a statement, McLennan County assistant prosecutors paid tribute to Titan, “a heroic and loyal dog” who proved to be “one of the keys to this case.” The motive for the crime has not been communicated.
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