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Man May Have Used Pit Bull To Kill Roommate In Grisly UES Murder
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 17, 2011
Modified Nov 17, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 17, 2011
Modified Nov 17, 2011
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An Upper East Side man was arraigned yesterday for bludgeoning his roommate to death—and police now believe he may have used his pit bull as a weapon in the attack. Shaun Dyer was arrested last month after city marshals discovered roommate David Shahda's dead body when they went to their shared apartment to deliver eviction papers. Police say Dyer "bludgeoned his roommate to death with some sort of cylindrical object," adding that there were "fresh bite wounds" on his body—but people who know Bones the pit bull say he isn't vicious at all: "He had a horrible owner, but he's a wonderful dog," one source told the Post.
Dyer, who has been arrested upwards of 20 times in the past for everything from assault to drug use, allegedly tried to keep eviction marshals out of the apartment as Shahda bled to death on the floor. "I don't know if it's working, my key is jamming," Dyer allegedly told them. Once they forced him to open up, and restrain Bones, he allegedly told them, "I think my roommate may be dead."
It came out that Shadha had several week-old dog bites on him in addition to the fresh ones. Shadha was able to call 911 before his death, telling the operator that his roommate was making the dog attack him. Dyer pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court yesterday. While investigators wait for forensic impressions of his teeth, Bones is being kept in his cage at Animal Care and Control, where he reportedly is "just as happy as can be."
Tagged
murder
pit bull
roommate
shaun dyer
ues
upper east side
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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