Death of St. Elmo K-9 Will Not be Prosecuted

A special prosecutor says there is insufficient evidence for meeting the burden of proof in a criminal prosecution in the death of St. Elmo Police’s K-9 dog that occurred in 2023.

Robert Hollinshead, who is the Deputy Bureau Chief for Criminal Prosecutions and the Trial Assistance Bureau with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office said in a letter to Fayette County State’s Attorney Brenda Mathis that “Our office has completed its review of the investigative reports and other materials” concerning the case of the death of the K-9 dog. Hollinshead went on to write that “After careful review of the evidence and law, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence to meet our burden of proof in a criminal prosecution.”

In early September of 2023, the St. Elmo Police Department stated they were investigating the death of their K-9 Police Dog, stating in a release that on July 27th K-9 Drogo was found dead and that an investigation was ongoing. Mathis made a motion for the appointment of a special prosecutor in October of 2023.