Pit bull owner gets 15 years to life after woman is mauled to death

An Antelope Valley man whose pit bulls mauled a woman to death last year was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison.

Alex Donald Jackson -- who had faced 24 years to life in prison -- was found guilty on Aug. 29 of second-degree murder for the death of 63-year-old Pamela Devitt.

On May 9, 2013, Devitt had set out for a walk alone near 115th Street and Avenue S in Littlerock when she encountered Jackson’s pit bulls, which proceeded to brutally attack her.

Devitt initially survived the attack and was able to respond to paramedics, but just four minutes into the ambulance ride, she went into cardiac arrest and died.

An autopsy later revealed Devitt suffered between 150 and 200 puncture wounds.

During Jackson’s trial, sheriff’s Deputy Jason Brandenburg testified that one of the pit bulls continued to pick at Devitt’s bloodied body as he approached.

Jackson had been warned about his violent pit bulls, which were involved in at least seven other altercations before the fatal attack, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. He was charged with second-degree murder after authorities determined nothing had been done to prevent another attack.

Authorities seized eight dogs, four of which had Devitt’s DNA on their fur, prosecutors said.

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