Will County officials say the young dogs showed signs of fighting and were dumped in trash bags in a wooded area.
JOLIET, Ill. — Will County authorities on Monday announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest after six young dogs were found dead in trash bags in unincorporated Crete Township, a case officials described as both animal cruelty and a public safety concern.
Investigators said the animals were discovered March 3 by Crete Township Highway Department workers during routine road maintenance near Kings Road and Norfolk Avenue. Prosecutors, sheriff’s officials and county animal protection staff said the dogs appeared to be pit bull-type dogs and had injuries consistent with dog fighting. Authorities said they believe the animals were dumped in the area and are asking for help identifying whoever killed them.
The case was disclosed publicly at a Monday news conference in Joliet, where Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow stood alongside sheriff’s officials and animal welfare staff. Authorities said the highway workers picked up several black plastic bags from a ditch and loaded them into a truck as part of their normal work. The contents were not discovered until the workers returned to their garage and looked inside. By then, officials said, it had become clear the bags held the bodies of six dogs.
Deputy Chief Jeremy Zdzinicki of the Will County Sheriff’s Office called it “a gruesome and horrifying discovery” and said investigators believe the location was used as a dumping site, not the scene of the killings. He said the area is a wooded subdivision with homes spaced far apart, and investigators do not believe nearby residents were involved. That detail, officials said, has helped narrow the focus toward whoever transported the animals there and left them in the ditch.
County officials said all six dogs were young, between 9 and 18 months old, and weighed about 45 to 55 pounds. Anna Payton, administrator of Will County Animal Protection Services, said the dogs had bite marks and other injuries that suggested they had been used in fights. But, she said, investigators do not think those injuries caused the deaths. “They were euthanized, but not in a humane way,” Payton said, adding that authorities do not believe a veterinarian was involved. Officials declined to release the exact manner of death, saying they were withholding that detail on law enforcement advice.
Glasgow said the case reaches beyond animal cruelty because of the level of violence involved. He said people who commit acts of extreme cruelty to animals can also pose a danger to the broader public, and he described the killings as deeply disturbing. At one point, Glasgow became emotional as he spoke about the dogs, saying anyone capable of doing this to six living creatures is dangerous. Authorities also said the investigation may touch on possible dog-fighting activity, though they did not describe any suspects, properties or organizations tied to that possibility.
The reward is being funded through a partnership between Glasgow’s office and First Secure Bank. Bank chairman Jay Bergman said the money will go to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and charges. Officials directed tipsters to Will County Crime Stoppers, which can take anonymous information. Authorities did not say Monday whether they had recovered surveillance video, forensic evidence or witness accounts showing when the dogs were left near the roadway. They also did not say how long the bodies may have been there before the bags were collected.
The case has drawn attention across Will County because of its brutality and because investigators say dog fighting, when it occurs, is often hard to uncover. Officials described such activity as secretive and said it can overlap with other violent crime. Payton said the six dogs “deserved better than this,” while sheriff’s officials said solving the case could prevent future harm to other animals or people. For now, the investigation remains open, with authorities urging anyone who saw suspicious activity near the wooded stretch of Crete Township in early March to come forward.
As of Monday, no arrest had been announced and no suspect had been publicly identified. The next milestone in the case is whether new tips or evidence produce a person of interest for questioning or criminal charges.
Author note: Last updated April 20, 2026.