Montgomery Man Charged with Capital Murder of Retired Auburn Professor in Kiesel Park

Harold Rashad Dabney III has been arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to the death of Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, a retired Auburn University veterinary professor, whose body was found in Kiesel Park in Auburn. Police discovered Schnuelle's body Saturday afternoon with injuries indicating an assault, and Dabney was apprehended Sunday morning near the crime scene after being reported as a suspicious person. Dabney allegedly stole Schnuelle's red Ford F-150 following the homicide, but the vehicle was later recovered by authorities. He is being held without bond at the Lee County Jail. Auburn University expressed condolences to Schnuelle's family, noting her service as a faculty member from 2003 until her retirement in 2021. The investigation remains ongoing, with multiple agencies involved and Kiesel Park closed during the initial phase of the inquiry.