An 86-year-old grandmother, Maria Nunez, was mauled to death by dogs allegedly owned by her neighbor, 53-year-old Misty Branch.

According to a press release issued by the Appling County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Nunez’s body was found on Wednesday, October 8. At around 12 p.m., ACSO deputies responded to a Popular Lane residence in Baxley.

Upon arrival, responding deputies found the elderly woman deceased outside her home. She had sustained “multiple injuries,” and her body was transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy.

The ACSO stated in the release that Nunez was “viciously attacked” by two dogs on October 7, one day before her body was found. The dogs are believed to have been identified and secured by the sheriff’s office. As reported by WTOC, invest

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