DELAND — A judge set an Oct. 5 trial date for two women whose dogs fatally mauled a boy near DeLand, while after the hearing the child’s mother emphasized her opposition to a plea deal with the dog owners.
Michael Millett III was out biking with a friend when the dogs, a pit bull and a Catahoula leopard dog, attacked the 8-year-old at about 4:56 p.m. Jan. 13, 2025, in the area of Arabesque Drive and Airport Road, near DeLand.
The boy’s mother, Tiffani Connell, became emotional in the courtyard of the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand after the May 26 hearing as she spoke to reporters about seeing the two dog owners who still live near her.
“It’s a punch in the gut every time I have to see them still living their life,” she said. “It’s not fair that we live in misery and they get to live like nothing ever happened.”
Dog owners face felony charge in fatal mauling near DeLand
Amanda Franco, 32, and Brandy Hodil, 41, the dog owners, have each been charged with tampering with evidence, because investigators said they deleted Facebook messages to impede the investigation into the deadly attack. The charge is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Franco was also charged under a statute dealing with an “attack or bite by unclassified dog that causes severe injury or death,” a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and up to a $500 fine.
Franco owned the pit bull while Hodil owned the Catahoula. The dogs were subsequently euthanized.
Mother of boy in fatal dog attack opposes any plea deal
During the hearing, Circuit Judge A. Kathleen McNeilly asked the prosecutor whether a plea offer was being discussed.
Assistant State Attorney Julia Lynch said the state at this point did not plan to make an offer.
Connell said after the hearing that she opposed any deal with Franco and Hodil. She said she made that clear to prosecutors from the start.
“I stand with no plea deal,” the mother said. “And I’ll stand with that. I’m not going to fold on that. I think that’s taking the easy way out.”
The mother said even if Franco and Hodil are convicted and sentenced to the maximum, that would be only five years for the felony, while her son had lost his life.
“Even if they get the maximum five years of what they are looking at right now, that’s nothing compared to my son losing his life because you couldn’t keep your dogs in your yard,” Connell said.
Between 80 to 100 jurors to be called for DeLand dog mauling case
McNeilly said between 80 and 100 potential jurors will be called for the case, which has received widespread media coverage. Six jurors plus some alternates are needed for the trial.
The trial is anticipated to last for five days, according to a court filing.
The judge noted the case had been open for a year and a half and asked about the pace of trial preparation.
McNeilly noted the state was providing supplemental discovery, such as body camera video, exhibits and depositions, in the case, but she wanted to set a deadline for all discovery to be turned over, so that the case could conclude.
In response to questions from the judge, Lynch said they have had to provide some supplemental discovery because of items discussed during depositions.
Lynch is with the State Attorney’s Office for the 18th Judicial Circuit, which covers Brevard and Seminole counties. The case would normally be covered by 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza’s office but was reassigned in February 2025 to the other circuit because an employee in Larizza’s office was was related to Franco.
Judge sets timetable in fatal DeLand-area dog mauling case
The judge set a number of deadlines, barring any new developments. She gave the state until Aug. 14 to turn over any additional discovery to the defense.
She gave the defense until Sept. 15 to turn over any additional evidence it had to the state.
McNeilly also scheduled another hearing for Sept. 16.
Connell expressed frustation at the time the case was taking.
“I just don’t understand what’s taking so long,” Connell said, “and so much of the back and forth, the discovery, the body cam. You know, how long does it take to review these things? We are coming up on 16 months on Michael being gone and I just don’t feel like we are any closer to a resolution than we were 10 months ago.”
Connell was emotional after the hearing and referred to the graduations currently taking place at area high schools and colleges.
Connell said: “I’m never going to see my son walk across that stage.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Trial set in DeLand-area dog mauling case in which boy was killed
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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