An Auburn University professor emerita was killed during the theft of her Ford F-150, according to newly released court documents.
Harold Rashad Dabney II, 28, is charged with two counts of capital murder in the weekend slaying of 59-year-old Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle.
Dabney is charged with capital murder during a kidnapping and capital murder during a theft, according to warrants made public Monday.
Though police initially said Dabney was from Montgomery, court records list an Auburn address for the suspect.
The warrants do not provide any additional details about Schnuelle’s murder, and a first court appearance for Dabney is not yet listed.
State court records do not show any prior adult arrests in Alabama for Dabney.
Schnuelle was a professor emerita in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
According to her bio, she studied veterinary medicine at Auburn and biology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
She received her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences at Auburn. Her specialties included dairy production, bovine embryology and canine reproduction.
Auburn police were called to Kiesel Park about 2 p.m. Saturday after receiving a 911 call of a person who appeared to be dead. Officers found Schnuelle in a wooded area of the park. Her dog was unharmed.
Schnuelle’s red Ford F-150 was discovered missing from an area near the crime scene.
Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton said Schnuelle sustained fatal injuries consistent with sharp force trauma. Authorities have not said what time the attack happened.
About 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Auburn police responded to a call reporting a suspicious person near the 2300 block of Beehive Road.
The suspicious person was located by officers and identified as Dabney.
“Officers in contact with Dabney made observations that led them to believe Dabney had involvement with the homicide that occurred the previous day,” police said Sunday afternoon.
After further investigation, Dabney was confirmed to be the suspect responsible for the homicide, and he was charged with two counts of capital murder.
Dabney was taken to the Lee County Jail where he is being held without bond.
Schnuelle’s Ford F-150 that police said was stolen by Dabney after the killing was later recovered off Wire Road.
Assistant Police Chief Michael Harris said Monday the investigation remains active and no additional information is being released at this time.
Auburn University officials released this statement Sunday morning:
“She served as a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Sciences in the Large Animal/Food Animal section from 2003 to 2021, when she retired as a professor emerita.
“Auburn sends our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Dr. Gard Schnuelle during this unimaginably difficult time,” the statement read.
News of her death quickly spread among the Auburn veterinary community.
Schnuelle was a frequent visitor to Kiesel Park and its dog park, which is a popular spot for Auburn’s veterinary students, said Dr. Ashley Rutter.
“She ran there every day,” Rutter, a former student of Schnuelle’s, told AL.com.
Rutter, a Birmingham veterinarian, said Schnuelle was supportive of students studying to care for large animals, a field Rutter said is hard to break into.
“She was always so welcoming. She was spunky and ready to make jokes. But if she saw something she didn’t like, she would always stand up for you and for herself,” Rutter said.
“She’d be there to defend you and help you out.”
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and his wife, Suzanne, offered their condolences in a social media post.
“Suzanne and I are devastated by the news of this tragic loss in our community. We are praying for the victim’s family and loved ones and for justice to be served.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to call police at 334-501-3100. Tips can also be submitted through the tip line at 334-226-1391 or via email at police@auburnalabama.org
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