Animal Wellness Groups Offer Reward for Information in Mississippi Shooting Deaths Linked to Deadly Dogfighting Ring
A double homicide that occurred late last month where two young men were both shot once in the head, has now been linked to a largescale illegal dogfighting event.
Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the execution-style shooting death of two men from Collins, and information regarding the operators of the animal fighting event.
Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action, issued this statement:
“There is no act that is more gruesome and barbaric than animal fighting, which is routinely bound to other serious crimes including drug trafficking and murder as we are seeing in Mississippi,” said Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action. “The best solution to rampant and violent animal fighting is the FIGHT Act, which will give law enforcement the tools required to root out this criminal activity that is making our communities incredibly unsafe.”
The shooting happened on Nov. 25 at a dogfighting event that took place on private land in the Jones Chapel community. Dozens of people were reported at the event, possibly upwards of 200, with individuals who came outside of Mississippi. The address and property owner, as well as event organizer(s) have not been disclosed.
The shooting victims were brought to the hospital in the back of a pickup truck shortly after midnight and were pronounced dead at 12:40 a.m., according to Covington County Coroner Chris DaQuila, who identified them as 25-year-old D’Andre “Peanut” Ducksworth and 27-year-old Reshun Goudy. Both men were shot once in the head, in what may have been execution-style killings.
The mother of Ducksworth has made a plea on social media, urging witnesses to step forward. The FBI and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are assisting in this case. Despite dozens of potential witnesses, no possible leads have been reported.
Animal fighting events serve as breeding grounds for criminal activities involving illegal weapons, deadly drugs such as fentanyl, and violence against humans and animals. Dogfighting constitutes a felony in Mississippi and is also a federal offense.
Animal Wellness Action and the Center urge law enforcement to expedite the investigation and disclose critical information related to the shooting deaths and any criminal animal fighting ring.
