News 12 at 11 o'clock, March 20, 2009

WASHINGTON, Ga.---Evidence of dog fighting and drugs were found earlier this week at a home in Wilkes County.

Two people were arrested. 30-year-old Lawanda Ramsey and her husband, 31-year old Tavaris Ramsey.

Tavaris facing some serious dog fighting charges after nine pit bulls are taken from the property and roughly nine more dead animals are found.

When the Washington Police Department went in with a search warrant on Tuesday they were shocked at what they found. Cocaine, marijuana, almost a dozen dead animals around the property and nine more pit bulls...trained to kill.

Investigators believe this is the house where illegal drug use and illegal dogfighting were going on for months. Lieutenant Joseph Nelson has seen a lot in his 20 years in law enforcement, but nothing quite like this.

"This is the worst dogfighting or animal cruelty case that I've investigated or worked here in this community. I think they were fighting these dogs for profit and for entertainment," says Lt. Joseph Nelson with the Washington Police Department.

They went in and found nine pit bulls chained outside and plenty of evidence that dog fighting had been going on. Pictures show one of the dogs that had to be sedated because it was so violent. On the pictures you can see the bite marks and cuts all over.

"When we found nine dogs chained up, viscous put bulls -- these dogs were scarred up every last one of them," says Lt. Nelson.

Another nine animals, dogs and cats were found dead, some badly decomposing on the property. They could have been the bait.
Investigators believe some of the dead animals and some of the pit bulls may have been family pets that were stolen.

"We feel some of those animals that were recovered might have been family owned pets because we've had a lot of complaints here of missing dogs or stolen dogs," says Lt. Nelson. "I mean, these dogs I don't think could be anybody's pet again. These dogs are basically destroyed," he adds.

Two people have been arrested. Tavaris Ramsey and his wife, Lawanda Ramsey. Tavaris facing 14 charges including dog fighting and drug related charges. Lawanda only facing 4 drug-related charges. Two arrested now...but Lt. Nelson warns it could be more.

"If you enjoy fighting dogs or you're a dog fighter and your here in this community, if you're caught, you will be prosecuted," says Lt. Nelson.

Lt. Nelson says this investigation is still ongoing and they are hoping to make more arrests. They believe people as far as Atlanta and as close as Oglethorpe County may be involved.

Lawanda Ramsey has bonded out of the Wilkes County jail, but Tavaris Ramsey is still there on $180,000 dollar bond.

The nine pit bulls found are at the humane society in Washington. They are currently trying to get custody of those dogs.

The shelter believes the three adults will have to be euthanized but that there may be hope for some of the puppies that they believe had just begun training. They are not up for adoption.