HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- A highly decorated Navy SEAL who found his beloved yellow Labrador retriever shot dead outside his home helped capture the alleged gunmen following a high-speed chase through three counties.
Marcus Luttrell stayed on the line with a 911 operator April 1 as he tried to catch the fleeing suspects during the 40-mile chase that reached speeds of over 100 mph.
"I told them, 'You need to get somebody out here because if I catch them I'm going to kill them,"' Luttrell said he told the operator, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Police stopped the suspects and charged two men with cruelty to a non-livestock animal. The driver of the vehicle was cited for not having a license.
There are at least five area dog killings in recent months that could be linked to the case, said Texas Ranger Steven Jeter.
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Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006. He is the lone SEAL team member to survive a June 2005 firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan and was given a dog to help him heal after he returned from the war.
"When I saw she was dead, the only thing that popped into my head was, I've got to take these guys out," Luttrell said.
