HUNTSVILLE, Texas - A highly decorated U.S. navy SEAL who found his beloved yellow Labrador retriever shot dead outside his home helped capture the alleged gunmen following a high-speed chase through three counties.
Marcus Luttrell stayed on the line with a 911 operator April 1 as he tried to catch the fleeing suspects during the 65-kilometre chase that reached speeds of over 160 kilometres an hour.
Luttrell tells the Houston Chronicle that he warned the 911 operator to "get somebody out here because if I catch them I'm going to kill them."
Police stopped the suspects and charged two men with cruelty to a non-livestock animal. The driver of the vehicle was cited for not having a licence.
Texas Ranger Steven Jeter says there have five area dog killings in recent months that could be linked to the case.
Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006. He was the lone SEAL team member to survive a June 2005 firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan and was given a dog to help him heal after he returned from the war.
"When I saw she was dead, the only thing that popped into my head was, I've got to take these guys out," Luttrell said.
