A family dog in Alabama has brought home human bones four times in less than a year, turning a quiet neighborhood into the focus of a disturbing murder investigation.
On August 9, deputies responded after a homeowner in the Center Point area reported that their 2-year-old German Shepherd mix, Chicarin, had once again brought home what looked like part of a human skeleton, according to WVTM-13, AL.com, and WBRC.
The bones were sent to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, and investigators searched nearby woods, finding more remains. AL.com reported that the homeowner, Mejía, found the bone in her front yard and thought, “Oh, she did it again.”
This is not the first time Chicarin has found human remains. The case began on August 20, 2024, when Mejía’s husband saw Chicarin and another dog, Chicarone, playing with a skull on the road near their home.
“He just saw her with the other dog playing with a skull,” Mejía told AL.com. “My husband said, ‘This does not look right.’ He called the police, and detectives confirmed it was human remains.”
An autopsy showed the skull had a gunshot wound. DNA testing was done, but it did not match anyone in national databases.
In December 2024, Chicarin returned with a human tibia (shin bone), which matched the skull. On April 10, she brought a femur (thigh bone) to the yard, and investigators also found a jawbone from the same person.
Authorities are now testing the August 9 bones to see if they belong to the same victim. They have also put a tracking device on Chicarin to find out where she is discovering the remains.
Mejía said she is “surprised and proud” of Chicarin for helping in the investigation. But she also described the situation as “upsetting,” adding, “You don’t know who the person is, or how long he’s been missing, for my pup to be bringing this stuff home all the time.”
Mejía and her husband, Orlin, have been cooperating with law enforcement. However, a little over a week ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Orlin and took him to a facility in Louisiana.
Chicarin has also gained attention online, with social media users joking about her joining the police force or blaming her for the death. “There are comments saying, ‘Oh, the owners may be the killers,’” Mejía said. “That’s definitely not fun.”
