North Texas family offers $5,000 reward after dog is shot, killed in backyard
A North Texas family is seeking justice and offering a $5,000 reward after their dog was shot and killed in a fenced backyard last month.
According to the Alvarado Police Department, the 4-year-old basset hound named Sheriff was found dead on Feb. 25 in a family member’s backyard in the Stonegate Manor neighborhood of Alvarado, a news release from SPCA of Texas stated.
“Sheriff’s owners, Dalton and Katherine Samek, reported that the dog had been shot three to four times with pellets from what is believed to be a pellet gun,” according to the release. “The pellets were powerful enough to penetrate Sheriff’s side and cause fatal internal injuries. The Sameks believe the shooting was deliberate and urge anyone with information to come forward.”
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The Samek family is offering a $2,500 reward for information, and an additional $2,500 was contributed in recognition of the SPCA of Texas’ Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center, bringing the total to $5,000, for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible, according to the release.
“The loss of a beloved pet in such a violent way is heartbreaking,” SPCA of Texas Chief Investigator Courtney Burns said in the release. “Acts of cruelty toward animals harm not only the animals themselves, but also the families and communities who love them. We hope the reward encourages anyone with information to help law enforcement bring the person responsible to justice.”
The family has said Sheriff was the “sweetest boy, who did not deserve this ending.” There have been no updates in the investigation, Dalton Samek told the Star-Telegram on Sunday, March 15.
Anyone with information about Sheriff’s shooting death is asked to contact the Alvarado Police Department at 817-790-0910 or email police@cityofalvarado.org.
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 9:15 PM.