OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma City man has been found not guilty of second-degree manslaughter after his dogs mauled an elderly woman to death back in 2017.
“That could’ve been your child, you know? Your brother, your sister,” Melinda Clonts told KFOR back in 2017.
Prosecutors say Clont’s mother, 82-year-old Cecille Short, was mauled to death by two pit bulls owned by 36-year-old Antwon Burks in April of 2017.
“We wanted to make him aware that her family still grieves her,” Clonts said.
Short was killed while on her daily walk near NW 122nd and Council in the neighborhood where she lived.
Witnesses said they saw the dogs attack her and then drag her body.
Both dogs were later shot by an Oklahoma City police officer.
Burks said he was out of town at the time of the attack.
In the days leading up to Short’s death, court records show neighbors complained about the dogs breaking loose from Burks’ backyard.
Prosecutors showed the jury pictures of a damaged fence, along with a large hole that was partially blocked by a recycling bin and cooler anchored down with rocks.
During the preliminary hearing, a neighbor testified Burks was aware of the problem and promised to get it fixed.
Burks’ ex-girlfriend testified that she helped Burks fix that hole with nails, wood and the chest pushed in front of it with trash cans behind it.