A horrifying tragedy unfolded in Nassau County, New York, when a man returned home to find his wife brutally killed and partially eaten by the family’s pet pit bull. The incident occurred in July 2022 and has since drawn widespread attention due to the shocking nature of the attack.
Marina Verriest, 70, died in what authorities described as a savage and inexplicable attack by the couple’s seven-year-old pit bull. Her 66-year-old husband made the gruesome discovery upon arriving home and immediately contacted authorities after finding the dog “still eating the body,” according to police, as reported by the Daily Express.
Officers responding to the scene encountered the aggressive animal, which lunged at one of them. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder explained during a press conference, “The scene was pretty horrific.” The officer, in self-defense, discharged their weapon and fatally shot the dog.
Ryder provided a chilling description of the aftermath: “We don’t know what time the attack took place, but there was obviously a lot of mutilation on the body and the arm, the face, the legs.” The officer involved in neutralizing the dog is now undergoing counseling to cope with the trauma.
“The officer saw something that was very traumatic,” Ryder said. “We take care of our officers and make sure they’re OK.” The motive behind the dog’s deadly outburst remains unclear. “We don’t know what turned the dog or why the dog turned on the woman,” Ryder noted.
“There had been no previous domestic calls to the home or calls regarding the dog.” Following the tragedy, it was revealed that the pit bull originally belonged to the couple’s stepson, who had died in a motorcycle crash just weeks prior to the incident. The dog had been living with the couple for several years.
Neighbors shared their concerns about the animal’s strength and behavior. One local resident told CBS News, “When he was alive, he used to walk [the dog] with both hands holding the leash. That dog was leading him.”
Kenneth M. Phillips, a U.S. attorney who specializes in representing victims of dog attacks, offered grim context. He cited data indicating that 51 fatal dog attacks occurred in the U.S. in 2021, 37 of them involving pit bulls or similar breeds. Phillips also noted that 21 of those fatalities involved the dog’s owner or a close family member.
The incident has reignited debate over the safety and ownership of certain dog breeds, leaving a community in mourning and a family shattered by unimaginable loss.