Thomas Edward Laney is a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR) officer, who decided on September 23rd, 2023 that a $125.00 fine was enough to charge William Gray when he shot and killed our Hunter Horn Foxhound Annabelle.

Below is a speech that I gave at a dinner honoring Annabelle, which had a state legislator in attendance. It is brief synopsis of the events that occurred that day: 

“Like most Saturdays, my father, Burt Causey, (the owner of Annabelle) and my husband, Garrett, got up extremely early at our shared property outside of Moncks Corner, SC, loaded up our 8 female foxhounds, and headed to Sumter, SC to deer hunt with the Buckshot Hunt Club. My mom and I normally spend Saturdays together and September 23rd was just a normal day… That was until my dad called me and said he’d only be able to bring 7 of our girls home safely. 

As you can imagine, hearing my father in tears I had many thoughts going through my mind. I initially  thought that one of our dogs had been involved in some kind of accident. Sadly it was much more than any of us would have ever imagined. 

A man named William Gray took it upon himself to brutally kill our Annabelle, and attempted to kill another of our dogs, Topsy, when they came across his property which was less than 5 miles from where my dad, husband, grandfather, uncle and cousin hunt with the Buckshot hunt club. 

As you know, animals don’t know property lines - and most people are understanding when hounds come across their property. Instead of catching Annabelle and Topsy and calling my dad or husband to come pick them up, like most decent people would, Gray took it upon himself to murder Annabelle. 

He shot her twice at close range with his rifle, the first in her stomach- gruesomely leaving her innards outside of her body. Then he shot her a second time in her shoulder, which killed her. Somewhere between or after those two shots, Gray attempted to shoot Topsy, our other dog, but luckily missed. 

Topsy was found over a mile away, in a church parking lot, scared and purely stricken by fear. A very nice gentleman that was at that church called us, and was able to console Topsy until my husband, Garrett, picked her up.

If this wasn’t enough for Gray, he texted his ‘friends’ pictures of Annabelle’s dead body, bragging about what he’d done and telling them that the game warden, Ed Laney (Thomas Edward Laney), would be to his property within a few hours. Gray also went on Facebook a few days after the Sept 23rd, telling any and everyone what he’d done and stating this was a warning- and he would do this again when another dog comes across his property. Gray stated in his public post that the next time he killed a dog, no one would find the dog or the collars. He also called my dad, Burt, and Buck Shot hunt club president Mike Watson out by name saying the post was directed for them. 

On 09/23/2023, After my dad was notified by SC DNR game warden Ed Laney that one of his dogs had been killed, it took officer Laney 4+ hours to come ‘investigate’. When he brought Annabelle’s body back to my dad, my husband, and the club president, Laney justified William Gray’s actions, and even went as far as calling Gray a ‘patriot’. 

South Carolina law section 16-11-510 says it's illegal to maliciously shoot, cut , maim, or wound an animal.

My constant question is why did Ed Laney only write William Gray a ‘renegade fine’ which was $125, for shooting and killing our Annabelle? There are many more severe charges filed for people who neglect, abuse or fight dogs (example: the man in Pickens County who was issued a 5 year sentence in prison and a $5k fine for killing 3 hunting dogs), but for some reason DNR officer Ed Laney thought a simple $125 fine was sufficient for William Gray brutally killing our beloved pet. 

This is not only a great injustice to Annabelle and us as her owners, but it sends a message to any other unhinged property owners who don’t like unwanted animals on their property. This tells anyone they can kill a dog and only get a slap on the wrist with $125 to pay to the SC courts. 

Annabelle was murdered while she was doing what she loves, all she’s ever known - running deer. Did she know what was happening to her? Did she wonder what she had done wrong? None of us will ever know what her mindset was between those first and second shots, but anyone would know she was in great pain, much more than she ever deserved. Then her life was taken from her in a way no one would have expected on a normal Saturday of hunting. “

In the time since September 23rd I have written letters and emails to the Sumter County Solicitor, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, multiple South Carolina Senators and Governor, the main director of DNR, the deputy director of DNR, and no one has offered help or even stated they would look into DNR officer Ed Laney’s actions. 

Sadly, our case isn’t the first situation dog hunters in South Carolina have had a major mishandling of the law by this specific Department of National Resources officer. There are countless statements of harassment, extreme intimidation and false accusations made against dog hunters in SC by officer Laney. 

I ask you to please think on what you would feel if this happened to your pet, think of the great injustice that was done to Annabelle and how hopeless we all feel trying to bring not only her killer,  William Gray, but also Ed Laney to the extent of the law that they both deserve.

Please sign this petition, which is asking for the termination of Ed Laney from South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Ed staying in his position only ensures more deaths of dogs, and injustice to all houndsmen and hunters in the near future. 

I, my father and our family will not stop until we have justice for Annabelle. Our goal is for all houndsmen of the state of South Carolina to have the rights and the respect we deserve for our dogs. 

Thank you for your time. 

Ashley Causey Williamson