Retired Auburn professor killed in park, police say. Suspect faces murder charges
A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in Saturday’s death of a retired Auburn University professor from an apparent assault at a city park.
Auburn police arrested Harold Rashad Dabney III of Montgomery, Alabama, on charges of two counts of capital murder related to the death of Julie Schnuelle, the police announced in a news release.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call reporting a suspicious person near the 2300 block of Beehive Road. Police found the suspect and identified him as Dabney, according to the news release.
“Officers in contact with Dabney made observations that led them to believe Dabney had involvement with the homicide that occurred the previous day,” the news release says.
Police transported Dabney to the Lee County Jail, where he is being held without bond. A red Ford F-150, belonging to Schnuelle and stolen by Dabney after the homicide, has been recovered, police said.
“The Auburn Police Department would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance in this investigation: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, State Bureau of Investigation, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Lee County Emergency Management Agency, The Alabama Department of Corrections and the Lee County District Attorney’s Office,” the news release says. “The Auburn Police Department would also like to thank the public for their vigilance during the investigation after receiving numerous investigative tips.”
On Saturday, police responded to Kiesel Park in the 500 block of Chadwick Lane in reference to a call reporting a dead person. Officers found a 59-year-old deceased woman in a wooded area, police said. The news release doesn’t mention the time of when officers responded to that call.
“The victim had injuries indicating the death was caused by an assault,” the news release says.
Schnuelle retired as a professor in the Auburn University Department of Clinical Sciences Large Animal/Food Animal section in 2021, according to the department’s website. She was a board certified theriogenologist. Dairy production medicine, bovine embryology and canine reproduction were her areas of clinical emphasis.
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM.
