65-year-old fights back with hammer as 3 dogs kill her in backyard, TX cops say

A Texas man was warned his dogs were loose, and then they killed his 65-year-old neighbor in her backyard, police say.

Marshall Garrett, 38, is facing charges in the death of Harriette Phillips, who investigators say was fatally mauled at her Houston home by three Staffordshire mix dogs belonging to Garrett, according to court records filed April 9 in Harris County.

Phillips was 65 years old, news outlets reported. The owner called police after seeing her on the back porch of her home, covered in blood.

Police said the dogs — named Boosie, Cleo and Sophie — broke through a fence and entered Phillips’ yard on March 23, records show.

The dogs had caused trouble before, and a neighbor texted Garrett at 10:20 a.m. on the day of the attack to warn him his dogs escaped, police said. Not only were the dogs running free in Phillips’ yard, they were now trying to dig out of her yard and into the neighbor’s, the text read.

“Morning, Marshall, I noticed your dogs are starting to go to our neighbor’s backyard, and now, they are digging holes on my side of the fence,” the neighbor said.

Garrett responded, saying, “Oh lord, I’m about to get it resolved.”

But about eight hours later, at 5:45 p.m., Phillips was attacked, police said.

In video obtained by investigators, she can be seen stepping out from the back door of her home and looking around, as if “scanning her backyard looking for something,” records said.

With a hammer in hand, Phillips walked over to the section of fence where the dogs had gotten through earlier in the day, police said.

She caught the attention of the dogs and they darted through the gap, video showed. She’s seen “moving fast” toward her house, but the dogs are faster.

Phillips is heard screaming “help, help” as the three dogs start biting her, and she fights back with the hammer, taking swings at them before she falls to the ground and the dogs continue fatally attacking her, police said.

Garrett discovered what happened and called 911, police said.

The dogs were euthanized.

He’s facing three counts of attack by dog resulting in death, according to court records.

Garrett is also accused of an unrelated killing in October, in which officials say he fatally punched a man “who was at least 65 years of age” in the back of the head.

This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 4:50 PM with the headline "65-year-old fights back with hammer as 3 dogs kill her in backyard, TX cops say."