Photo: Ford, Brad
Last November, Cowlitz PUD employees located a badly injured white English Retriever dog in the 17000 block of Spirit Lake Hwy, in Toutle. The dog appeared to have been shot in the head and had its snout duct taped shut. This incident was initially investigated by the Cowlitz County Humane Society and was later transferred to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Examination of the dog’s injuries showed it had been shot in the head and the projectile had fragmented into numerous small pieces. The dog, now known as “Trooper,” survived his injuries and is now in the care of a host family.
The Sheriff’s Office Crime Reduction Team identified a person of interest early in the investigation. Detectives interviewed several witnesses and served search warrants to obtain evidence in this investigation. Evidence recovered during the service of a search warrant confirmed the identity of the injured dog as well as its owner. Detectives used digital forensic evidence to confirm the suspect’s timeline and communications related to this incident.
Detectives were able to identify the suspect as Jessica Rosita Schmidt, 33, of Castle Rock. Schmidt was identified as the previous owner of the injured dog. On March 6, 2024, detectives contacted Schmidt as she was driving in the 8500 block of Barnes Dr in Castle Rock and took her into custody.
Schmidt was booked into Cowlitz County Jail on charges of Animal Cruelty – 1st Degree, Making False or Misleading Statements to a Public Servant, and Driving while License Suspended/Revoked 2nd Degree.
Source: Cowlitz County Sheriff