Microchipped dog helped Texas police identify woman's killer — her cousin
A Texas man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his cousin after a family pet helped identify him as the killer, authorities said.
The body of Mandy Rose Reynolds was found burning in a storage container in a field in McLennan County, Texas on April 5, 2023, according to the district attorney's office. The remains were burned beyond recognition, and a .380 shell casing was found inside the container. Responding officers also found a white dog which barked frantically and refused to leave the scene or be captured, officials said. The body was removed, and the next morning, a citizen reported seeing the dog sitting in the same spot it had been.
Officials took custody of the dog, which they later learned was named Titan. They found the canine had a microchip and were able to identify it as having belonged to Reynolds. This led police to suspect Reynolds was the person whose body had been found. They went to her home and found it completely empty, with all her possessions, including her car, missing.
Two days later, a man was spotted driving Reynolds' car near Wichita, Kansas. Police attempted to pull the driver over, but he started a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour before crashing into another vehicle. The driver then fled on foot, running into a grocery store and hiding behind canned goods. He was quickly found by police and taken into custody. A .380 handgun was found inside the car.
The driver was identified as Derek Daigneault, 29, a cousin of Reynolds'. Police began to investigate his movements between the discovery of Reynolds' body and the car chase. Security footage from an area Wal-Mart showed Daigneault purchasing a storage container that matched the one Reynolds' body was found burning in. He had also purchased a shovel and a gas can in the same visit.
Video showed Daigneault driving away from the store in Reynolds' car, officials said. In the footage, Titan can be seen sticking his head out the window of the vehicle. He also had Reynolds' phone, which police used to track his location.
The gun in the vehicle was determined to be Reynolds' grandmother's weapon and matched the shell casing found with her body, according to CBS affiliate KWTX.
Daigneault was reportedly on felony probation with a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the murder, KWTX reported. He convinced Reynolds to drive from San Marcos, Texas to Kansas to pick him up, and she allowed him to stay with her for about a month before the murder, the station reported.
Daigneault has previous felony convictions for aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, possession of methamphetamine, attempted interference with law enforcement, criminal discharge of a firearm at a residence, fleeing officers, aggravated battery and criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, according to KWTX.
Jurors deliberated for about 40 minutes before returning with a life sentence on November 7. Daigneault will be eligible for parole in 30 years, KWTX reported. An attorney for Daigneault said they will appeal the verdict.
In a statement, McLennan County assistant district attorneys Ryan Calvert and Alyssa Killin, who prosecuted the murder, called Titan a "heroic and loyal dog" and said he served as one of the "keys to this case."
