Family dog reportedly killed by Dish Network contractor

[1969pontiac]

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office responded to the large home at 366 Pancras Drive on Sunday, Jan. 4 after a Labrador was discovered dead.


According to an incident report, the owner of the residence – Lawrence Thompson III – left for church that morning while a Dish Network intallation employee remained on the property while repairing a satellite system.

Shortly after, an incident ensued in which the man – Thomas Stan Knowles, 37, of Macon – reportedly fatally sliced the dog across the chest with a pocket knife.


Knowles later told a deputy that “as he was walking to his truck, he could hear both dogs barking and running towards him. (He then) took out his pocket knife and opened it...The first thing he saw was the big brown dog out in the front yard running at him.” Knowles then stated that the dog lunged at him, which is when he “swung his pocket knife and cut the dog.”


The incident report added that “the Thompsons arrived home from church. The Thompsons and their children were extremely upset...(Lawrence) Thompson stated that his dog was a Lab who was gentle and playful. Thompson stated that there was no reason to kill the dog. No arrests were made at the time, although the investigation continues.”