Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was found dead Saturday about 2:07 p.m. in Auburn’s Kiesel Park. The recently-retired Auburn veterinary professor and researcher had been walking her dog in the park, and her body was spotted by a passerby who called 9-1-1.
They quickly issued a lookout for Dr. Schnuelle’s red Ford F-150 truck, which was found off Wire Road, about five miles away from the park.
A person of interest was later taken into custody by Auburn Police.
Kiesel Park became a crime scene and remains closed at the time of this report. The park is widely used by walkers, joggers, and dog walkers and is reputed to be a safe area.
Auburn PD spokesmen said Dr. Schnuelle’s injuries were consistent with an assault and the case is being conducted as a homicide investigation.
Dr. Schnuelle’s body has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy. Updates and a news conference will be conducted by Auburn PD.
Information about the incident can be submitted to Auburn PD at 334-501-3100 or the tip line at 334-226-1391 or emailed to [email protected].
Dr. Schnuelle recently retired from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine where she was a professor of Large Animal Medicine and Food Animals.
Her dog was found unharmed on Sunday.
Dr. Schnuelle was on familiar ground. Her wedding had been in Kiesel Park. She was known to frequently walk her dog there.
Kiesel Park contains gardens, a pond, a pavilion, a 2.5 mile walking trail and the historic Nunn-Winston Home. It has been regarded as a safe place for walkers, joggers and dog walkers. It is also a popular wedding venue.
Dr. Schnuelle’s death in the park sparked an avalanche of social media posts offering shock and condolences.
The affectionate nickname for Dr. Schnuelle from her hundreds of students over the years was “Dr. Guard,” a play on her middle name of Gard. That nickname seems terribly ironic since she needed a guard Saturday just to walk her beloved dog in a park that had always been safe.
One of those former students is Landon Marks, now County Extension Direct of for Cherokee County, Alabama. After learning of her death, he said:
“Dr. Gard was a student-centered professor who impacted many lives. The first time I ever palpated a cow, her arm was over mine while she was on her stool. Pray for the Auburn Community as we mourn the loss of a beloved professor, colleague and friend.”
Laura Kennedy Braswell, a retired second-grade teacher and frequent user of Kiesel Park, said:
“Praying for her family. This park has been my happy place for over 30 years. I know every inch of every path and my husband planted many of the trees at the park in the early ‘90’s. On holidays as a “thank you mom for cooking,” my husband and boys would go for a walk on the 2 and 1/2 mile path with me. John would for the hundredth time point out each tree he planted and give details.”
“I came here to talk to God. To me it is a sacred place that I could go to and enjoy His creation, walk and leave better minded. My friends and I have solved a lot of the world’s problems on these sandy gravel paths.”
“I have always felt safe at this park. I also pray our city officials will take great measures to again make Kiesel park a safe sanctuary for her citizens.”
This is a developing story. Yellowhammer News will report further information as details are known.
