Auburn Community Mourns 59-Year-Old Retired Auburn University Professor Dr. Julie Schnuelle After Fatal Stabbing at Kiesel Park, Police Arrest Montgomery Man in Capital Murder Case
AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn communitty is grieving the loss of Dr. Julie Schnuelle, a 59-year-old retired Auburn University professer whose life ended tragically Saturday morning during a stabbing at Kiesel Park. Authorities say she was walking her dog when the attack occcured. Officers later confirmed the dog was unharmed, a small mercy in a moment that has left neighbors and former colleagues stunned and sorrowful.
Police arrested 32-year-old Harold Rashad Dabney III of Montgomery on two counts of capital murder. Investigators report he stole Schnuelle’s red Ford F-150 after the attack. Officers recovered the truck on Wire Road near the Farmer in the Dell pumpkin patch, a detail that helped tighten the timeline as they moved quickly to identify and locate a suspect. Responding to a call about a suspicious person on Beehive Road Sunday morning, officers took Dabney into custody and transported him to the Lee County Jail, where he remains held without bond.
Those who knew Schnuelle describe a presence that quietly anchored classrooms, hallways, and the wonder of daily life in a college town. Even in retirement, her ties to Auburn University and the city remained strong. Students often remember professors for a particular lesson or moment of encouragement; while authorities have not released additional information about her academic discipline, the news of her death has landed with a somberr weight across a community that values education, mentorship, and neighborly care.
Kiesel Park stands as one of Auburn’s most beloved spaces, a place where families, students, and retirees cross paths on morning walks. To learn that violence intruded there has shaken a shared sense of saftey. Residents say they will watch for updates, support one another, and honor Schnuelle by keeping a caring eye on the people and places they love.
The Auburn Police Department says its investigation remains ongoing. Detectives are gathering evidence, tracing the movements before and after the attack, and seeking additional context to understand the full sequence of events. Officials urge anyone with information to contact investigators. In difficult times, that respons from the public can prove decisive, and investigators emphasized that even small details might help.
As the case proceeds, the loss of Dr. Schnuelle centers the story. A retired professor’s morning routine ended in violence; a faithful dog returned home without the person who loved it; and a town known for its university spirit now pauses to reflect on what it means to keep one another safe. Her life and legacy remain, and continue to inspires many. Friends and neighbors will remember a woman who spent decades in a community devoted to learning and service, and they will carry those memories forward.
Police have made clear that they will continue pursuing every lead. Dabney faces two counts of capital murder, and prosecutors will weigh the facts as the investigation advances. For now, the city holds space for grief and for gratitude—grief for a life cut short, and gratitude for the quick work that led to an arrest within a day. People here know that healing moves slowly; they also know how to stand together when heartbreak comes close to home.
In the evenings ahead, the paths at Kiesel Park will still fill with footsteps and quiet conversation. Auburn residents will walk, reflect, and look after each other, because that is what communities do when faced with tragicly sudden loss. The memory of Dr. Julie Schnuelle, and the gifts she shared across years at Auburn University and throughout the city, will continue to live in those shared spaces and in the people she touched.
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