Killer pit bulls in Illinois and New Mexico cases had priors
WASHINGTON PARK, Illinois; SANTA ROSA, New Mexico––Historic Route 66 linked the pit bull attack deaths of James L. Gibson, 68, on August 27, 2026 in Washington Park, Illinois, and Randall “Randy” Wade, 73, the following day in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
So did the reality that neither fatal attack might have occurred if either community had practiced zero tolerance of dangerous dogs.
The canine killers in either case had history.
Victims had much in common
Both victims were older single men, who––though they lived a 13-hour drive apart and probably never met––appear to have had much in common.
Gibson owned rental properly in Washington Park a little less than five miles from the former Route 66, opened on November 11, 1926, delisted from the National Highway System in 1985.
Wade, a longtime employee at two Santa Rosa truck stops, lived near the Route 66 Auto Museum, the main tourist attraction in Santa Rosa, a crossroads town of about 2,850 people.
From 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles per day whiz through Santa Rosa, the second-largest town on the 287-mile, four-hour-plus drive between Amarillo, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
These days the traffic flows mostly on I-40, the interstate freeway that largely replaced Route 66. Some traffic crosses I-40 on New Mexico state highway 84.
Millions of people who stopped in Santa Rosa for gasoline, food, and to use the truck stop restrooms might have briefly met Wade, without ever knowing his name, but––like Gibson––he seems to have been little known beyond a small circle of friends and relatives.
Washington Park neighbors feared attack
Gibson, according to KMOV First Alert 4 television in St. Louis, Missouri, just across the Mississippi River from Washington Park, “suffered bite wounds to his face, torso, arms, and legs after he was attacked by at least five dogs,” identified as pit bulls by neighbors’ photographs and video, “while taking a smoke break from working on a rental property,” at about 10:45 p.m.
“During the mauling, the dogs dragged the man across the street and attempted to pull him into a ditch,” KMOV added.
Updated Chad Mira for Fox 2, also in St. Louis, “People living in the Washington Park neighborhood say they have dealt with a pack of wandering dogs for years and feared something like this would eventually happen.
Neighbors say the pit bulls are owned
“Police investigators believe the dogs are strays,” Mira continued, “but people who live on 49th Street claim that’s not the case.
“Aretha Harper, who lives nearby,” Mira narrated, “said she had encountered the same dogs just hours earlier. Harper said the dogs are familiar to people who live in the area and that residents are usually able to shoo them away. But she said one of the dogs followed her up her front steps Thursday,” shortly before the fatal attack on Gibson.”
Recounted Harper, “I’m at the door with my bags and I’m turned back, like ‘Get off this porch! Get!’ and he was not budging.”
Resumed Mira, “Harper said later that night, her husband came home and witnessed the fatal attack.”
Recalled Harper, “He’s telling me, hollering and screaming, ‘Call 911. A man is up there at the intersection getting mauled.’”
(Google Maps)
Cops say they shot three pit bulls, but cannot find them. Animal control says they never got calls.
Continued Mira, “Several people in the neighborhood told FOX 2 that the group of dogs has frequently escaped from a fenced-in yard nearby for about two years.
“Google Street View images from April 2026 show the dogs chasing the Google car up the street. Fred Harris, another Washington Park resident, said the situation has left people afraid to go outside.
“Harris said he is hesitant to let his granddaughter play outside because of the dogs.”
Washington Park police told Mira that officers saw at least five dogs and shot three of them at the scene while trying to rescue Gibson, “but police said all five of them ran away and have not been seen since,” Mira added.
“Despite the reports from residents about ongoing problems with the dogs,” Mira finished, “St. Clair County Animal Control told FOX 2 it has not received any calls about dogs in this section of North 49th Street.”
Further updated Ella Holt, Marshal Farmer, and other Gray News staff, “Washington Park police said that two hours before the fatal attack, another caller reported that a woman had been bitten by the same pack of dogs. Police said they requested assistance from St. Clair County Animal Services for both 911 calls.
“However, St. Clair County Animal Services officials told First Alert 4 they did not learn of the incident until Friday afternoon,” more than 12 hours after James L. Gibson was killed.
(Facebook photo)
Randy Wade was killed by house guest’s pit bull
Randy Wade, remembered by friends for a kind disposition, had apparently allowed James Campbell, 52, and an as yet publicly unidentified woman to stay with him.
The unidentified woman may have been Randy Wade’s sister Sheri Wade, who on August 29, 2026 in separate Facebook postings said, “I was there,” and “I was the one with him every day.”
According to a New Mexico State Police media release, Wade “was outside his home when two dogs belonging to Campbell attacked him near a shed. Investigators determined the attack was unprovoked.”
The unidentified woman, the New Mexico State Police media release continued, “was outside when she witnessed the attack and called for Campbell to help.
“Campbell, who was inside the home, went outside and secured the dogs in an enclosure.
“He then moved Wade to the front porch, where Wade was found to be deceased. The woman called 911.
Pit bull owner charged in death
“During an interview with investigators,” the New Mexico State Police media release added, “Campbell acknowledged knowing that his dogs had previously been deemed vicious.
“Investigators also learned that the dogs, both a pit bull mix breed, had reportedly been involved in an earlier attack and had recently been released from an animal shelter.
“Campbell has been charged with Dangerous Dog (Death of a Person), a third-degree felony.”
Neither the identity of the animal shelter nor the circumstances of the earlier attack have been disclosed.
Randy Wade, noted friend Joseph P. Page on Facebook, “was a man of small stature to began with. Maybe 5′ 5″ or so and maybe 115 pounds. Easy to understand how two large pit bull sized animals could inflict enough damage to kill him. I heard the call out over my scanner that afternoon,” Page said, “but had no idea it was Randy. He was a kind hearted man and I never saw him treat anyone mean or badly. He will be missed by those of us who knew him well.”
Nadine Wade, niece of victim Randy Wade, in a posting to social media hinted at further drama perhaps involved in the case.
“I am beyond grateful for everyone who has been a part of my uncle’s life,” Nadine Wade began. “I want to do what my uncle wanted. He told everyone he knew what he didn’t want. To see that happening is making me so hurt. He was trying [not] to be forced into a home and all his things signed over to someone who only seems to care about his property. He had wishes and I will make sure those wishes are fulfilled,” Nadine Wade pledged.
“When there are no children or wife,” Nadine Wade explained, “it is up to the next of kin, who are his brothers and sister, not just one. It is against the law to remove anything from the home without legal representation and the whole family has been notified.”
Stanley Hartt
Randy Wade appears to have been the first victim of a fatal dog attack in New Mexico since computer programmer Stanley Hartt, 64, was on February 1, 2023 fatally mauled by five pit bulls, at least one of whom had bite history, while walking near his home in Tucumcari, 60 miles northeast of Santa Rosa on I-40.
(See Mother & son blame each other for pit bull pack attack killing in Tucumcari.)
Kristopher Morris, then 28, owner of the five pit bulls, pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony in connection with Stanley Hartt’s death in August 2024.
Pit bull owner got six years
Morris on December 3, 2024 “was sentenced to six years behind bars by Judge Abigail Aragon,” KOB television news in Albuquerque reported.
“With time served, Morris will be behind bars for five years, seven months and 21 days,” KOB said.
“Court documents show Morris pleaded guilty to child abuse, not resulting in great bodily harm or death, for an alleged offense in April 2024,” KOB added.
(Beth Clifton photo/collage)
“Morris received a three-year sentence and an order to pay a $5,000 fine,” for that offense, KOB said, “but Judge Aragon ruled to suspend the sentence, meaning he will pay the fine for the abuse charge and serve roughly six years behind bars for the deadly dog attack.”
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More senseless deaths. More ignoring of the growing problem of people keeping, or not keeping, dangerous dogs.
Just another day in one of many nations choosing to look the other way while innocent animals and people are maimed and killed.
Thanking you for reporting these incidents. These people’s lives mattered, and those who knew them are also victims of this societal failure which will continue, probably always.
Agreeing as usual with the previous sentiment, this horror of pit bull attacks and lethality is a recurring nightmare . It has always defied my imagination that a government would allow this to continue without addressing it in any meaningful way. It is a great societal failure and because, regrettably, we have a government which is only interested in its own advancement, financial security and benefit, the ‘people’ it is supposed to serve and protect, are abandoned to their own fate. Disgraceful and Shameful. Thank you for staying on this wretched case so that we don’t forget!