Prosecutors: Bend woman left dogs unattended before fatal mauling

Published 5:15 am Friday, November 3, 2023

The three dogs who mauled to death a Bend man in July had previously killed other animals and bitten “several” people so badly that they required a hospital visit, according to prosecutors in the manslaughter case against Jessica McCleery.

Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Kyle C. Fleming also alleged during a court hearing Thursday that McCleery knew her dogs were dangerous but left them unattended in the Juniper Ridge homeless camp the night of the attack.

Authorities cannot say precisely when Joseph Keeton, 56, was attacked by three pit-bull/bull-mastiff mix dogs — it was either late July 18 or in the first hour of July 19.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched at 1:15 a.m. Keeton was taken to St. Charles Bend, where he later died.

Fleming called it “a textbook case of a reckless manslaughter.”

The new details were revealed in a Deschutes County Circuit Court hearing as attorneys argued over whether or not to release McCleery, pending trial. The prosecution prevailed and she remains in the Deschutes County jail.

McCleery, who lived in the Juniper Ridge area and was arrested in October, is charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. She is accused of being reckless and negligent in causing Keeton’s death.

Dogs in fatal attack at Juniper Ridge had bitten others

Dogs in fatal attack at Juniper Ridge had bitten others

McCleery’s attorney, Raun Atkinson, argued before a judge Thursday that McCleery should be released to stay with her friend, Greta Willems, as the case moves forward. Willems lives in Hawaii with McCleery’s five-year-old son.

Atkinson said McCleery is not a risk of running away, noting that she cooperated with authorities responding to the attack and provided first aid to Keeton. He argued that, if released, she wouldn’t be a danger to the public’s safety, pointing out she wasn’t around when the attack occurred.

Bend woman arraigned in fatal dog mauling; ‘She can’t fathom that that’s what happened.’

Bend woman arraigned in fatal dog mauling; ‘She can’t fathom that that’s what happened.’

“She didn’t sic the dogs on this person or anything like that,” he said.

In court, Fleming told a different story, successfully arguing against releasing McCleery to Hawaii.

He noted that, after a 2015 conviction of misdemeanor second-degree animal neglect, McCleery was ordered not to have animals. “She violated that condition numerous times,” he said. Given her history, he argued that she was “unlikely” to follow a court order that she not have dogs.

“She certainly had prior knowledge of her dogs’ dangers yet left them unleashed, presenting a danger to the community if released in this case,” he said.

Fleming also stated McCleery knew authorities were looking for her after a warrant was issued for her arrest in September and actively hid from authorities. He said this makes her a flight risk.

Deschutes County Circuit Court Judge Alison Emerson agreed with the state. McCleery’s plea hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Central Oregon homeless need dogs, advocate say. Taking care of them is the hard part.