Doña Ana County woman distraught after dogs attacked neighbor, who died

FAIRACRES, New Mexico - A Fairacres woman said she is distraught and in disbelief weeks after her dogs brutally attacked her neighbor.

“I’d rather lose my dogs," said an emotional Maria Kelley, who owned the two German shepherds. "Not my neighbor."

Saad Alanazi, 56, died after the attack on Jan. 27 on the 5200 block of Freese Lane in Fairacres, according to the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office.

Kelley said she was at work when the attack happened. She told ABC-7 that her late neighbor was very friendly and frequently greeted her dogs.

The Fairacres woman worries one of her chained dogs jumped over the fence while she was at work. A photo taken after the incident shows the dog might have been hanging from the fence, choking. Kelley suspected her second dog, also chained, might have pushed through the hole in the fence.

“Somebody let them go," Kelley said. "Somebody let them go because one was choking.”

She wonders if Alanazi saw her dog choking and tried to free both, only to have them attack him.

“I have no idea," Kelley said. "Really, I’m so sorry. I feel so sad. I’m so stressed out.”

Rudy Clark said he was able to get the dogs off the victim by hitting one on the head with a walking cane.

“They destroyed him," Clark told ABC-7. "This man was suffering. He was bleeding a lot.”

Alanazi, who suffered deep wounds to his legs, was rushed to MountainView Regional Medical Center. After losing a large amount of blood, he died, according to the documents.

However, the sheriff said the bites were not significant enough to cause the man's death. She said Alanazi had pre-existing health conditions that also contributed to his death.

Animal control officers cited Kelley for several ordinance violations, but the sheriff told ABC-7 she does not anticipate criminal charges being brought against her.

Kelley, who has lived on the property for 21 years, says she is deeply disturbed by what happened.

“I couldn’t sleep," Kelley said. "I’m not sleeping. I’m not eating. I feel so sad because he was a very good neighbor.”