Investigation underway into woman's death after dog attack

ASHEVILLE - The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office was investigating after a woman was found dead in her home Monday along with an aggressive dog, according to an agency spokeswoman.

The Sheriff's Office identified the woman as 59-year-old Jane Marie Egle, who lived in a home near the Bent Creek Forest.

Egle had visible cuts on her body that are consistent with an animal attack, but her exact cause of death had not been determined by Friday, said Natalie Bailey, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office.

The county's Animal Services Division responded to the residence around 5:20 p.m. Monday after receiving a call for assistance.

When deputies arrived, Egle was lying on the floor unresponsive inside her home, Bailey said. An aggressive dog, a South African Boerboel, was also in the home and would not allow anyone inside.

"After multiple attempts, the dog was finally immobilized and subdued, and deputies were able to remove the dog from the residence," Bailey said. The dog was killed in the process.

Egle had no pulse when deputies got inside the home, she said.

Deputies spoke with a relative at the residence after the situation was under control and learned the dog had a history of aggressive behavior, Bailey said.

No other information was able to be released Friday as the investigation was ongoing, she said.

Seven other dogs were found at the residence and brought to the Asheville Humane Society following the incident, said Meredith Riddick, communications manager for the humane society. Six dogs were Boerboels, and one dog was a Great Pyrenees.

The Boerboels were being kept in a secluded area at the Buncombe County Animal Shelter due to how dangerous they can be, she said.

After two behavior analysts evaluated the Boerboels, they determined the dogs cannot be released to the community and must be euthanized, Riddick said. The Great Pyrenees will not be euthanized and is not a threat to the public.

The Boerboel was developed as a farm dog in South Africa in the 17th century, according to the American Kennel Club, which recognized the breed in 2015. They are most commonly bred for guarding the home and are one of the most powerful dog breeds.

These dogs were typically the first line of defense against predators and were used to track and hold down game for hunters, according to the American Kennel Club. They are large, strong, muscular and confident animals.

A date for when the dogs will be euthanized had not been set by Friday, Riddick said.

"They are dangerous and we don't want to put our staff at risk, so we are still determining the best way to do that," she said.

While the dogs stay at the shelter, they are being treated the same as any other animal.

"We are making sure they are taken care of, but they are well locked up and well away from any other animals," she said.