Animals have been our four-legged companions for many years, but sometimes, they play a bigger role in our lives than we might have intended. These tiny little detectives are more valuable than we think!
1. Bud, The African Grey Parrot
In 2015, this African Grey Parrot solved the murder of his owner, Martin Duram, who was fatally shot in his home. Weeks after the incident, his parrot, Bud, began mimicking an argument, including the phrase, “Don’t shoot!” This helped the investigators realize these were probably his last words and led them toward his wife, Glenna.
2. Snowball The Cat
In 1994, the body of Shirley Duguay was found on Prince Edward Island, and near her grave, they found a blood-soaked jacket that had a few white hairs. DNA testing matched the hairs to Snowball, a cat owned by the victim’s estranged husband, Douglas Beamish. This was the first time animal DNA was used in a criminal case, leading to Beamish’s conviction.
3. Larry Bird The Cockatoo
The bond between the owner and Bird is stronger than you might think. In 2001, Kevin Butler, a resident of Dallas, Texas, was murdered in his home. During the investigation, authorities found his pet cockatoo, named Bird, dead at the scene. However, Bird had bitten the murderer before dying. The DNA from the bite mark on the perpetrator matched evidence at the crime scene, leading to the arrest and conviction of Daniel Torres, a disgruntled employee.
4. Scooby the Dog
Paris, France, had their very own Scooby-Doo moment when it allowed this dog to “testify” in his owner’s murder trial. Scooby’s owner was found hanging from the ceiling in her apartment, but her family believed there was foul play involved. The victim’s family thought that Scooby, who was present during the incident, could identify the murderer. The court noted Scooby’s aggressive reaction when presented with the suspect, which influenced the proceedings.
5. When Cat Hair Solved The Murder
In 1989, when the body of Lori Auker was found three weeks after she disappeared, her estranged husband was investigated as a possible suspect. Despite cleaning and selling his car after the disappearance, Robert Auker made a big mistake. A tuft of cat hair found in his car matched that of Auker’s pet cat.
6. A Parrot As The Lead Witness
In 2014, Neelam Sharma’s home was robbed, and she was also found murdered. Her husband, Vijay Sharma’s parrot, began screaming the name of Sharma’s nephew after her murder. This made him suspicious of Ashu, and he requested the investigator to question the nephew. Ashu later confessed to the murder with the help of his friend Ronnie.
7. Another Cat Solving The Crime
In 2012, the dismembered body of a man by the name of David Guy washed up on an English beach wrapped in a curtain. They found multiple cat hairs on the curtain, later confirmed to have belonged to cats owned by David Hilder, their main suspect.
8. A Wild “Duck” Chase
When 92-year-old grandmother Nellie Sullivan went missing, authorities had no leads for many years. Before her remains were found, her granddaughter and boyfriend were arrested for concealing her death. A few years later, a pet duck was chased by its owner and ran under a trailer. While chasing after their duck, they ran over the container that contained Sullivan’s remains.
9. A Murder Solving Grasshopper
In 1985, the murder of a woman in Texas was solved by a mangled grasshopper that was found on the victim’s clothing. This insect was missing a limb, which wouldn’t mean much under normal circumstances, but it solved the case this time. When the main suspect was investigated more closely, they found the missing hind leg of the grasshopper on the cuff of his pants.
10. Honeybees To The Rescue
In Virginia in 2008, Ricky McCroskey’s body was found in a remote wooded area. A beekeeper in the area noted that one of his hives had been disturbed during the murder. Investigators found blood belonging to the victim on the hive as well as on some of the bees, leading them to believe that the killer had been through there. After looking more closely, investigators found DNA evidence linking to the prime suspect on the bees and mutliple bee stings on the suspect, helping them solve this case.
11. A Poop In The Investigation
In 2000, police had been called to the scene of a triple murder in the home of Theresa Sears. Hannah and Scout, two German shorthaired pointers, led to the break in the case. Thankfully, their owners weren’t too careful about cleaning up after their dogs, and one of the suspects stepped in dog poop near the door, leaving a track that led to finding the killers.
12. Defending Even After The Crime
In 1998, a couple in Seattle were killed during a home invasion. Their Pitbull-Lab puppy, Chief, was fatally killed during the incident. Bloodstains were found on the clothes of both suspects that belonged to the pup and led to the conviction of both suspects.
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