KOIN.com

Dog Helps Capture 'Cowboy Killer' Suspect

Michael Braae Jumps In Snake River

VALE, Ore., 2:16 p.m. PDT July 20, 2001 -- Thanks to the help of a police dog, suspected serial killer Michael Braae is under arrest in Vale.

Braae, the suspected "Cowboy Killer," was spotted early Friday morning at the Black Canyon Truck Stop on Interstate 84, just east of the Oregon/Idaho border.

Police attempted to pull him over, and a high-speed chase ensued between Braae and Idaho State Police troopers on I-84 and on some side roads in the Emmett area and back onto the freeway. According to the Malheur County Sheriff's Officer, Braae fired a handgun at Idaho State Police troopers. No vehicles or officers were hit.

Spike strips were laid across the westbound lanes of I-84. When he did not stop, an officer shot out one of his front tires.

The suspect stopped his truck on the bridge over the Snake River on the state border and jumped 40 feet into the water. A dog went into the river after Braae.

Idaho and Oregon State Police troopers, as well as Payette County sheriff's deputies, were pursuing Braae in the river with a boat. However, because Braae was armed, they stayed back.

According to Debbie Courson of KBOI in Boise, Braae floated down stream before getting out of the water. Officers chased the suspect on foot. He reportedly tried to hide in some brush and then jumped back in the water.

The Canyon County K-9 was able to bring the suspect to a Malheur County boat, and he was apprehended at about 8 a.m. PST.

Braae was taken to the Malheur County Jail in Vale, and is being held for a parole violation and failure to pay child support.

On Thursday, Braae was spotted at a pawn shop in Moscow, Idaho. The shop owner called police, saying that Braae was headed to Boise.

Authorities had been tracking Braae across Oregon, with sightings reported in La Grande and Baker City on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old is wanted for questioning in the deaths or disappearances of six women in Oregon and Washington. Yakima County sheriff's detectives on Thursday said that they were preparing an arrest warrant, "probably for attempted murder," in the shooting of a Yelm, Wash., woman found on Sunday.

Lacey police say he is a person of interest in the homicide of a woman who was found dead under her bed July 7.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001

Answers

What a great dog! What a great story! Fantastic!

I'd like to see a cat do that! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2001

What I'm wondering is, was the dog a Belgian Malanois like mine?

Good Going K-9!

bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna do when the dog comes for you?

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2001

Barefoot, the dog probably learned everything it needed to know from the following...:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0836268423/qid=995734683/sr=1- 29/ref=sc_b_29/103-4440778-0649430

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2001

You mean the dog surfs the 'net too?

Wow! Too cool!

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2001

Only for advice from cats...

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2001

no doubt the advice is by a ghost writer speaking as a cat. We all know cats can't talk.

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2001