MARSHALL COUNTY, Miss. — Khava is perhaps the only witness to the death of her owner Samuel Smith.
“We are just glad to have the dog recovered.”
Smith’s body was found last month by fishermen in Chewalla Lake in Marshall County Mississippi.
Smith was driving from Pulaski County, Arkansas, headed to the lake, but investigators say he picked up a man along the way, most likely in Louisiana.
“The suspect we are looking for that is in the victim’s car is still at large,” Sheriff Dickerson said.
Since Smith’s body was discovered in the lake, the Border Collie had been missing — that was until a Mississippi Highway Patrol officer found the dog laying on the side of Interstate 55 outside Winona. She’d been at a vet there since July 27.
Khava had some road rash on her side and bruises on her legs. Investigators believe she either jumped or was thrown from the truck.
Monday the dog was taken to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department after social media posts helped identify Khava. Tuesday, she will be reunited with Smith’s family.
“We know the family is just elated to hear the good news about the dog.”
As for the investigation, U.S. Marshals are offering a five thousand dollar reward for the arrest of Joshua Fletcher. Investigators believe Fletcher killed Smith during a camping trip outside of Holly Springs.
“We have the suspect on camera with the victim’s vehicle on the 26th. On those photos, obvious the dog was with the guy, but didn’t appear in the photographs on the security camera; it’s quite possible the dog could have been lying down inside the truck.”
After the murder, Fletcher was spotted on camera wearing Smith’s shirt and driving his 2003 Chevy S-10 truck.
